BX  6335  .M368  1903 


A  manual  of  New  Testament  | 
teaching  on  infant  baptism 


/Ift^L^   /  J  UL^VCLr, 


A    MANUAL 


OF 


NEW  TESTAMENT  TEACHING 
ON  INFANT  BAPTlSM,j 
MODE  OF  BAPTISM, 
THE  LORD'S  SUPPER, 

FEET-WASHING, 

THE  SALUTATION  OF  THE  KISS, 


-AND 


DISSERTATIONS  ON  MARRIAGE 
AND  THE  MILLENNIUM, 


HAGERCTOWN,   MD.  : 

Wail  PubUsliing  Company, 
1903. 


2372 


WATER  BAPTISM, 


As  aaliiorliy  for  baptism  we  have  the  commission 
given  b}-  our  Savior  to  his  apostles  as  recorded  in  Mat. 
28:19,20,  and  Mark  16:15, 16;  and  the  practice  of  the 
apostles  as  recorded  in  Acts  2:38,  8:12  and  38,  9:18, 
10:18,  16:15  and  33,  and  19:5.  Any  one  examining 
the  apostolic  commission,  and  the  apostles'  compliance 
with  its  conditions  as  found  in  the  references  we  have 
made  to  their  acts,  can  not  fail  to  see  that  an  exercise  of 
faith  is  indispensable  to  Christian  baptism ;  and  that  we 
have  no  evidence  from  the  gospels  of  baptism  being  ad- 
ministered but  alone  upon  faith. 

We  have  the  representation  of  baptism  in  1  Peter 
3  :21 :  "Not  the  putting  awa}^  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh, 
but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God  by  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  Christ  is  the  true  Ark. 
Believers  enter  this  ark  through  faith.  It  is  not  the 
receiving  of  the  outward  ordinance  of  baptism  that  re- 
moves sin.  or  that  gives  tlie  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
toward  God ;  but  when  persons  by  true  regeneration  of 
the  Spirit  are  able  to  profess  true  repentance  and  faith 
in  Christ,  and  thus  receive  baptism,  it  is  to  them  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience.  Baptism  is  an  initiatory  or- 
dinance into  the  visible  cburcli  of  Christ  and  the  outward 
sign  of  an  inward  change.  It  is  a  testimony  of  having 
accepted  Clirist  by  faith  and  of  being  saved  through 
him. 


4  Prerequisites  of  Baptism.. 

The  Savior  said  to  NicodcmuSj  ''Ye  must  be  born 
again.  Wanting  this  cliange  disqualifies  persons  for  re- 
ceiving baptisjii ;  for  witliout  it  they  are  not  capable  of 
being  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  since  they  do 
not  recognize  his  righteousness,  his  love,  and  his  mercy; 
nor  in  the  name  of  tlie  Son,  since  they  have  not  accepted 
him  as  their  redemption  and  sanetification ;  nor  in  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  since  they  have  not  come  under 
his  enlightening  and  purifying  influence.  Since  regen- 
eration is  indispensable  to  baptism,  it  becomes  important 
to  know  what  it  is  and  hoAv  it  is  attained. 

By  nuiurt'  all  are  sinners,  Ix'ing  Avithout  saving 
faitli,  and  of  love  to  God.  "For  to  liim  that  knovveth  to 
do  good  and  doetli  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin."  Sin  is  only 
imputed  after  mankind  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil.  The  testimony  of  revelation  is,  "There  is 
none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one."  Mankind,  out  of 
Christ,  are  under  a  covenant  of  woi-ks,  the  summary  of 
which  is.  "Thou  shall  love  the  Lord  tliy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul;''  and  "Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  that  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  tliem."  God  designs  that  the  law 
shall  awaken  and  alarm  sinners,  that  they  become  con- 
cerned about  their  salvation  and  he  has  provided  means 
by  which  they  may  attain  to  a  realization  of  their  un- 
saved state.  His  grace  striA'es  with  all  men,  by  A'irtue 
of  which  sinners  may  awaken,  when  the  law  becomes  a 
"ministration  of  condemnation"  to  them.  When  they 
yield  to  grace,  being  of  a  legal  disposition,  they  are  in- 
clined to   seek  justification  through   works.     But  the 


Preliminary  Experiences.  5 

more  effort  they  make  to  obtain  salvation  by  reformation 
of  life  and  outward  self-denial,  the  more  they  will  dis- 
cover their  sinfulness  and  inability  to  save  themselves. 
Many  sincere  seekers  after  liglit  undergo  very  painful 
and  discouraging  experiences  before  they  are  willing  to 
give  up  all  and  come  with  nothing  of  their  own.  But 
God  knows  them  that  are  his,  and  he  careth  for  them. 
After  the  law  has  effectually  done  its  w^ork,  and  left 
them  as  poor,  sin-sick  sinners,  saying  from  the  heart 
"Lord  Jesus,  save,  or  we  perish;"  then  they  gladly  ac- 
cept Christ's  invitation,  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la'- 
bor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 
They  are  raised,  like  Lazarus,  from  the  dead;  and  like 
hiui  lay  olf  their  grave  clothes — their  sinful  life,  and 
their  dead  works.  They  realize  that  Christ  has  fulfilled 
the  law  for  theui,  and  has  atoned  for  their  sins;  and 
they  now  accept  him  as  their  Savior  and  Redeemer,  and 
realize  that  they  are  complete  in  him.  Such  a  change 
is  regeneration.  It  is  the  restoration  of  the  divine  life. 
A  new  light  is  let  into  the  mind,  and  the  will  is  renewed. 
But  all  is  recognized  as  a  gift  of  God,  as  the  apostle 
fittingly  expresses  it,  "Nevertheless  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me." 

The  evidences  of  regeneration  are  faith,  love  and 
obedience.  Faith  being  a  gift  of  God  is  characterized 
by  Christian  graces  and  virtues.  It  unites  the  soul  to 
God,  and  the  fruit  of  a  holy  life  will  follow.  Love  of 
the  brethren  is  a  fruit  of  regeneration.  It  is  the  grace 
or  image  of  God  in  them  that  causes  us  to  love  them. 
When  we  love  the  godly  for  their  godliness,  then  we  love 


6  Infant  Baptism. 

God  jn  them.  "Every  one  tliat  loveth  him  that  begat, 
loveth  him  that  is  l>egotten."  Love  to  Jesus  will  impel 
us  to  keep  his  commandments.  Obedience  is  love  in 
action.  Such  persons  having  been  baptized  by  the  spirit 
of  Christ,  and  having  become  of  one  heart  and  of  one 
soul,  are  fit  subjects  to  receive  water  baptism,  and  to 
become  members  of  the  church.  By  this  act  they  testify 
their  confidence  in  the  church,  as  that  which  Christ  pur- 
chased with  his  blood.  Such  comprehend  the  duties  of 
church-membership,  since  they  have  experimental  knowl- 
edge of  what  constitutes  and  characterizes  the  church. 
Such  are  prepared  to  hear  and  obey  the  Shepherd  of  all 
tlie  slieep:  "My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  me;  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life; 
and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hands." 

Infant  Baptism. 

Bajitism  upon  faith  and  infant-baptism  have  di- 
vided Christianity  into  two  distinct  parties.  Infant- 
baptism  is  said  to  have  originated  in  the  Eoman  church, 
and  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  doctrine  of  original  sin, 
for  the  removal  of  which  it  was  judged  necessary.  Con- 
soquontly  those  who  denied  original  sin  opposed  infant- 
baptism.  It  lias  been  traced  to  the  early  centuries,  and 
we  find  as  early  as  the  third  century  that  the  teachers 
in  the  Eoman  church  at  different  places  antagonized 
each  other  on  the  subject.  Even  men  of  such  eminence 
as  Jerome  and  Augustine  stood  opposed  to  ea'ch  other 
in  their  teaching.     Both  were  baptized  about  the  year 


Diversity  of  Sentiment.  7 

420,  and  when  about  30  years  of  age.  The  mother  of 
Augustine  objected  to  his  baptism  when  young  because 
she  looked  U]X)n  infant-baptism  as  unscriptural ;  but 
later  in  life  he  maintained  it.  Jerome  taught  that,  as 
the  Lord  commissioned  his  apostles  to  first  teach,  and 
then  baptize  those  who  received  the  faith,  so  it  was  not 
possible  for  the  body  to  receive  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism unless  the  soul  had  previously  received  the  true 
faith.  Thus  we  find  that  through  a  number  of  centuries 
the  prevailing  church  was  divided  upon  this  matter,  and 
many  dissented  on  account  of  it.  After  it  was  canon- 
ized in  the  Church  of  Eome,  its  rejection  became  the 
principal  charge  against  the  Anabaptists,  so  called  be- 
cause they  re-baptized  those  baptized  in  infancy.  Its 
rejection  seemed  in  particular  to  exasperate  the  Inqui- 
sition, and  along  with  other  charges  of  heresy,  subjected 
those  who  opposed  it  to  the  most  cruel  persecutions.  It 
is  at  present  quite  popular,  being  practiced  by  many  of 
the  churches,  and  is  defended  by  many  able  speakers  and 
writers. 

One  of  the  arguments  in  support  of  infant  baptism 
is  based  upon  the  command,  "Go  ye  therefore  and  teach 
all  nations,  baptizing  them,"  etc.  It  is  claimed  that 
the  correct  rendering  of  the  text  is,  "Make  disciples  of 
all  nations,  baptizing  them,"  etc.  The  argument  runs 
thus :  "The  text  is  not  limited  to  believers ;  it  declares, 
make  disciples  of  all  nations;  and  as  nations  are  com- 
posed of  men,  women  and  children,  children  are  to  be 
baptized."  It  is  further  asserted  that  "The  fact  of 
children  not  being  named  in  the  command  is  no  argu- 


8  Injani  Baptism,  r 

ment  against  tlieir  baptism,  as  men  and  women  are  also 
not  named ;  and  accepting  such  objection,  none  could  be 
baptized,  since  they  are  not  specified.  But  such  conclu- 
sion is  contrary  to  the  text."  The  argument  concludes, 
"Therefore,  I  am  authorized  to  baptize  all  who  compose 
a  nation,  men,  women  and  children.  The  text  puts  all 
in  a  savable  state."  The  above  argument  is  remarkable ; 
the  more  so  since  it  is  oflfered  by  a  learned  minister. 
The  conclusion  of  his  reasoning  is  t^iat  nations  are  to 
be  baptized,  and  that  baptism  makes  them  disciples. 
The  fact  is  baptism  alone  makes  no  one  a  disciple;  neith- 
are  whole  nations  to  be  baptized.  Nations  shall  be 
taught,  and  only  those  who  believe  shall  be  baptized;  and 
as  children  cannot  l)e  taught,  neither  can  they  believe, 
therefore,  they  are  not  proper  subjects  for  baptism. 
"He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved,  but 
he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.".  This  proves 
beyond  doid)t  that  believing  is  necessary  to  salvation; 
and,  as  a  consequence,  an  essential  qualification  for  re- 
ceiving baptism.  The  advocates  of  infant  baptism  claim 
that  the  above  proves  too  much.  They  state  it  thus : 
"Faith  is  required  in  order  to  baptism,  but  infants 
cannot  exercise  faith,  therefore  infants  cannot 
be  baptized."  Here  follows  their  conclusion:  "Faith 
is  required  in  order  to  salvation,  but  infants  can- 
not exercise  faitli.  therefore  infants  cannot  be  saved. 
Awful  conclusion  !  What  Christian  parent's  heart  does 
not  recoil  at  the  very  idea  ?"  But  no  such  awful  conclu- 
sion will  follow  a  fair  statement  of  the  case.  The  true 
representation  is  this :     Faith  is  not  required  of  infants 


Saved  by  the  Atonement.  9 

unto  salvation;  but  of  adults  it  is  required.  Little 
children  have  the  promise  without  the  exercise  of  re- 
pentance, or  faith,  or  the  receiving  of  baptism.  There- 
fore, neither  is  required  of  them.  Hear  the  testimony 
of  Jolm :  "Behold  the  Lauib  of  God  that  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world;"  and  the  words  of  our  Savior, 
'"'Suffer  little  children  to  coiue  unto  me,  and  forbid  them 
not;  for  of  such  is  the  I'ingdom  of  heaven." 

Christ,  by  virtue  of  his  sacrificial  offering  has  paid 
tlie  del)t  incurred  by  our  first  parents,  and  has  reconciled 
man  to  God.  Infants  are  saved  without  baptism,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  atonement.  Every  ordinance  that  Christ  en- 
joined upon  his  church  embodies  a  principle  adapted  to 
the  experience  of  regenerated  souls,  which  tends  to  con- 
firmation in  the  faith  and  sanctification  in  the  spirit. 
Hence  the  ordinance  of  baptism  can  have  no  meaning 
to  an  unconverted  jjerson;  therefore,  none  such  shall  be 
baptized;  and  if  unbelieving  adults  are  not  fit  subjects 
for  baptism,  then,  surely,  infants  are  not  proper  sub- 
jects. 

Infant  baptism  is  defended  upon  the  ground  of  the 
old  and  new  covenant  being  identical.  It  is  argued  that 
"The  congregation  of  Israel  was  the  church  of  God,  and 
it  was  virtually  the  same  as  the  Xew  Testament  church. 
Having  had  the  same  divine  Head,  the  same  precious 
covenant,  the  same  spiritual  object  in  view,the  same  aton- 
ing blood,  the  same  sanctifying  spirit,  and  the  same 
great  promise  of  lieaven  and  eternal  life."  It  is  true 
that  there  was,  and  is.  but  the  one,  only  divine  Head, 
and  ground  of  hope  and  happiness;  but  it  is  also  true 


10  Infant  Baptism, 

that  before  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  wrought 
redemption,  tliere  were  no  regenerated  people  upon  the 
earth,  and  no  spiritual  church.  The  serpent's  head  was 
not  Ijruised :  the  armor  was  not  taken  from  the  strong 
man  armed ;  the  hearts  of  the  people  were  not  purified ; 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  given  as  an  indwelling,  trans- 
forming power;  and  they  were  not  "renewed  in  knowl- 
edge after  the  image  of  him  wlio  did  create  them." 

The  Lord  said  to  Abraham,  "And  T  will  establish 
my  covenant  ])otween  me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after 
thee  in  their  generations,  for  an  everlasting  covenant, 
to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee;  and  1 
will  give  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee,  the  land 
of  Caiman  for  an  everlasting  possession."  (Gen.  17  :7,  8.) 
As  a  token  of  this  covenant,  and  as  an  evidence  of  Abra- 
ham's assent,  circumcision  was  instituted.  All  male 
children  were  circumcised  when  eight  days  old;  also 
those  bought  with  money  of  any  stranger.  "He  that  is 
born  in  thy  house,  and  he  that  is  bought  with  thy  money, 
must  needs  be  circumcised;  and  my  covenant  shall  be 
in  your  flesh  for  an  everlasting  covenant."  (Gen.  17  :13.) 
Human  language  could  not  make  anything  plainer  than 
the  covenant  relation  between  God  and  Abraham,  viz: 
I'hat  God  promised  to  give  the  land  of  Canaan  to  Abra- 
ham's seed,  or  posterity;  and,  as  a  token,  they  were  to 
circumcise  all  their  male  children  throughout  their  gen- 
erations, and  he  would  be  a  God  to  them  in  succeeding 
generations.  But  on  account  of  their  disobedience, 
God's  wrath  fell  uijon  them,  and  he  frequently  suffered 
the  Gentile  nations  to  oppress  them  and  lead  them  cap- 


The  Old  Covenant    Vanishes.  .       11 

tive  into  strange  lands.  Finally  their  cit}^  was  trodden 
down  by  the  Gentiles,  and  they  were  scattered  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  became  a  byword  and  a 
reproaciu  and  God  ceased  to  be  their  God  according  to 
the  covenant  relation.  The  literal  sacrifices  ceased,, and 
the  ceremonial  law  came  to  an  end,  since  they  could  no 
longer  offer  their  sacrifices  in  the  appointed  way  and 
place.  Paul  testifies,  "Behold  the  days  come,  saith  the 
Lord,  wlien  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house 
of  Israel  and  with  the  house  of  Judah.  In  that  he  saith, 
a  new  covenant,  he  maketh  the  first  old.  Now  that 
which  decayeth  and  waxeth  old  is  ready  to  vanish  away." 
(Heb.  8:8,13).  Christ  plainly  foretold  the  closing  of 
that  dispensation,  saying,  "Behold  your  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate."  When  he  said,  "It  is  finished,"  and 
l)owed  his  head,  and  gave  up  the  ghost,  the  burnt  offer- 
ings and  the  sacrifices  virtually  ceased;  for  the  substance 
of  the  shadows,  and  the  reality  of  the  images  were  con- 
summated. 

The  benefit  resulting  from  the  covenant  with  Abra- 
ham, as  already  shown,  was  the  land  of  Caanan,  together 
with  the  blessing  of  a  numerous  posterity;  and  all  this 
U]ion  the  condition  of  ol>edience,  as  afterwards  stated 
in  the  law.  If  they  proved  faithful,  they  were  assured 
of  enjoying  lilessings  and  prosperity  in  all  things.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  if  they  became  disobedient,  and  per- 
sisted in  their  disobedience,  the  blessing  would  l)e  with- 
held, and  a  curse  be  sent  instead.  It  is  to  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  upon  conditions  of  obedience,  they  enjoyed 
temporal  prosperity,  whether  they  exercised  faith  in  the 


12       .  Infant  Baptism. 

promised  woman's  seed  or  not.  The}'  M^ere  a  chosen  na- 
tion, yet  they  were  a  carnal  people.  Eternal  life  was 
not  promised  in  the  covenant  ahove  considered.  The 
ho])e  of  eternal  life  was  held  out  in  the  promise  dis- 
tinct from  tliat  of  the  land  of  Canaan:  "And  in  thy 
seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  he  hlessed."  Tlie 
meaning  of  this  was,  that  through  the  lineage  of  Abra- 
ham, the  Savior  slionld  he  liorn  according  to  the  flesh; 
he  through  whom  life  and  immortality  should  he 
brought  to  light. 

The  righteousness  of  faith  pertained  to  Abraham  as 
yet  uncircumeised  ;  and  now  belongs  to  those  who  are 
his  chihlren.  not  ))y  circumcision,  or  by  anything  that 
came  in  the  r(X)m  of  it,  but  by  the  same  faith  which 
he  exercised.  '^Phose  who  believe  and  only  those,  are  to 
he  ]iartakers  of  the  blessing. 

'I'he  truly  godfearing  Jews  by  faith  embraced  the 
promise  of  the  future  spiritual  blessing,  and  believed  in 
the  coming  Savior,  although  they  were  not  changed  in 
the  sense  of  heing  horn  again.  In  consequence  of  their 
faith  and  ol^edient  lives,  they  obtained  a  good  report; 
but  they  did  not  receive  the  promise.  Under  the  first 
covenant  the  law  was  engraven  upon  tables  of  stone. 
Their  sanctuary,  and  their  service  in  it,  were  but  shad- 
ows of  tlie  good  things  to  come.  Their  circumcision  was 
outward  in  tlie  flesh,  their  inheritance  was  a  natural 
land,  their  enemies  were  the  heathen  nations,  their 
wea])ons  were  natural,  and  their  warfare  was  that  of 
"garments  rolled  in  blood."  Under  the  new  covenant, 
the  law  is  written  in  the  heart,  and  put  in  the  mind; 


Israel   Was  Not  a   Church,  13 

the  sanctuarv  is  the  ht-art;  the  service  is  in  the  spirit 
and  not  in  the  letter;  tlie  inheritance  in  this  life  is  a 
jrood  conscience,  and  a  peace  that  passeth  understand- 
ing: the  enemies  are  the  devil,  the  world,  and  our  sin- 
ful nature;  and  the  weapons  of  warfare  are  spiritual, 
luiving  tlie  breastplate  of.  faith  and  love,  and  for  an 
lieluiet,  the  hope  of  salvation. 

The  advocates  of  infant  ha])tisni  assert  that  the 
coveiuint  witli  Ahraliam  has  never  l)cen  aholislied;  and 
as  cliildren  were  eligihle  to  church  membership  under 
the  Ahi'nhaiiiJc  coveiiant,  so  they  also  are  under  the  new 
or  Christian  covenant.  Tn  other  words,  the}'  assert  that 
Itapti.^m  is  now  sulj-^tituted  for  circumcision.  It  is  true 
the  covenant  contained  in  these  words,  "And  in  thy 
seed  <]iall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  has 
never  I)een  abolished.  Paul,  writing  to  the  Galatians, 
explains  this  promise  as  referring  to  Christ:  "And  to 
thy  seed,  which  is  Christ."  He  is  the  promised  Seed, 
thi'ougli  whom  alone  the  blessing  can  be  obtained;  not 
of  natural  land,  but  of  life  forevermore;  which  inheri- 
tance is  not  obtained  through  baptism,  but  through  re- 
generation. 1 

'J'hc  Jews  were  not  an  organized  body  of  believers; 
and  therefore,  cannot  consistently  be  called  a  church. 
They  constituted  a  nation,  a  political  body,  n;any  of 
whom  were  wicked.  Circumcision  was  a  mark  of  citi- 
zenship required  of  all  male  citizens;  therefore  all  the 
male  cliildren  of  the  Jews  were  required  to  be  circum- 
cised, wheilier  the  parents  were  pious  or  not.  There  is 
jio  scriptural  authority  for  the  assertion  that  baptism 


14  Infant  Baptism. 

was  sulistituted  for  circuineision.  When  allusion  is 
made  by  the  apostle  to  circumcision,  it  is  used  figura- 
tively as  a  type  of  regeneration,  and  not  as  being  super- 
seded by  baptism.  When  the  Jews  were  offended  at 
Paul's  ])reaehing,  because  he  taught  that  children  need 
not  be  circumcised,  he  did  not  olfer  them  a  substitute  in 
I)aptism. 

The  defenders  of  infant  baptism  refer  to  a  portion 
of  the  11th  chapter  of  I>onuins,  where  the  apostle  warns 
the  Gentile  I)elievers  against  the  danger  of  backsliding, 
by  reminding  them  of  their  high  privilege  of  being 
children  of  (lod  by  faith  in  Christ.  By  way  of  illus- 
tration, the  apostle  reminds  them  that  they  had  been 
branches  in  the  wild  olive,  that  is,  were  of  the  Gentiles, 
who  were  strangers  to  the  covenant  of  promise,  and  lived 
as  it  were  without  God  in  the  world.  But  now  as  they 
have  by  faith  been  grafted  into  the  good  olive  tree,  they 
are  admonished  to  l)e  hund)le,  and  not  forget  that  they 
do  not  bear  the  root,  but  the  root  bears  them;  that  is, 
they  shall  remendier  that  they  were  not  chosen  on  ac- 
count of  any  merit  in  them ;  but  that  God,  out  of  free 
grace,  extended  mercy  toward  them ;  and  that  they  were 
not  saved  l)y  work';  of  righteousness  which  they  had 
done.  The  advocates  of  infant  baptism  maintain  that 
the  Jewish  congregation,  or  the  Jewish  church,  as  they 
call  it,  was  the  good  olive  tree ;  and  that  through  unbe- 
lief many  of  them  were  broken  off,  that  is,  were  excluded 
from  the  church;  and  that  the  Gentiles  by  faith  were 
grafted  into  the  good  olive  tree, — the  Jewish  church. 
By  thi§  argument  they  want  to  prove  that  the  church 


Circumcision  and  Baptism.  15 

has  been  the  same  andor  both  dispensations,  and  that 
tlie  Cliristian  church  is  a  continuation  of  the  Jewish 
cburcli :  and  as  tlicv  achiiitted  the  male  cliihlren  into  the 
dcwisb  eliiiivh  by  circumcision,  children  shall  now  l)c 
adniitted  into  tlie  Christian  church  by  baptism. 

Tbcy  reason  })lausib]y  that  the  covenant  with  Abra- 
ham was  an  everlasting  covenant,  and  that  God  had 
jiromised  to  be  their  Father,  and  tliey  be  his  people, 
which  they  call  his  church  ;  and  since  the  Jews  knew 
nothing  else  than  to  admit  children,  therefore  it  would 
have  been  an  unheard  of  thing  to  them  to  exclude  child- 
ren from  tbe  cbureh.  They  assert  that  a  prohibition 
from  Cbrist  would  have  been  necessary  to  exclude  them. 
It  Avill  be  ol)served  that  upon  the  above  ground,  viz: 
that  of  the  church  being  the  same  under  both  dispensa- 
tions. Christians  have  a  rigbt  to  wage  war  in  defence  of 
righteousness,  to  exact  justice  by  process  of  law,  to  sue 
for  a  bill  of  divorce,  and  even  greater  carnal  liberties. 
For  if  those  under  the  law  were  regenerated,  and  con- 
stituted the  church  of  God  worshiping  him  in  spirit  and 
in  truth,  and  yet  did  wage  wars  and  indulge  in  many 
carnal  liberties,  then  we  will  ask.  why  may  not  God's 
children  now  use  the  same  lil)erties?  Every  enlightened 
person  knows  that  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles  forbid 
those  carnal  practices.  Can  a  child  of  God  be  one  thing 
in  one  age.  and  something  quite  different  in  another 
age?  The  natural  birth  has  Ijeen  the  same  in  all  coun- 
tries and  all  ages,  and  Christ  used  it  as  a  figure  of  the 
spiritual  birth.  How-  then  can  the  spiritual  life  be  so 
different  in  its  manifestations  at  different  times;  as,  in. 


16  Infant  Baptism. 

one  age,  to  resist  evil  to  tlie  extent  of  waging  war,  sueing 
at  law.  ])raeticing  polygamy,  and  holding  persons  in 
bondage;  and,  in  a  snbsequent  age,  to  ignore  all  these 
practices  as  unchristian. 

Stephen  alone  calls  the  congregation  of  Israel  the 
churcJi,  saying.  "This  is  he  that  was  in  the  church  in 
the  wilderness."  (Acts  7:38.)  In  the  German  the 
same  word  is  used  in  this  instance  that  is  used  through- 
out the  Bible  to  designate  the  congregation  of  Israel. 
Some  translations  render  it  the  congregation.  Whether 
we  call  the  Jews  the  congregation,  community,  kingdom, 
or  church,  the  facts  remain  that  they  were  an  unregencr- 
ated  peoj)le,  and  the  great  mass  of  them  were  frequently 
itlolatrous  and  AAieked.  It  is  well  known  that  there  were 
god-Iearing  })ersons  among  them,  who  believed  in  the 
promise  of  the  coming  Savior,  and  regulated  their  lives 
accordingly;  and  who  also  died  in  the  blessed  hope  of 
eternal  life.  But  they  did  not  attain  to  that  life  while 
upon  earth ,  since  Christ  had  not  yet  come  to  give  them 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God.  But  when  he  came 
and  gave  his  life  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  he  descended 
into  the  nethermost  ])arts  of  the  earth,  and  proclaimed 
redemption  to  those  who  had  died  in  the  faith  before 
he  came. 

The  church  of  Christ  was  a  new  institution  upon 
earth,  based  upon  the  promise  of  eternal  life.  Christ 
said,  "Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church.^'  This 
language  is  conclusive.  The  church  had  not  existed  be- 
fore  the  day  of  Pentecost.  This  fact  alone  should  de- 
tcrmine  the  issue.     Any  one  tracing  the  commands  and 


The  Nciv  and    The  Old  Co-tenant.  17 

ordiuiuurs^  enjoined  by  Christ  upon  his  church  must  be 
eonvineed  tliat  it  bears  no  likeness  to  the  Jewish  congre- 
i^ntioji.  Paul  asserts,  "And  for  this  cause  he  is  the  me- 
diator of  tlie  New  Testament,  that  by  means  of  death, 
for  the  redemption  of  the  transgressions  iliat  were  under 
Ihe  first  testament,  they  Avhich  are  called  might  receive 
tlie  promise  of  the  eternal  inheritance."  (Heb.  9:15). 
Under  the  first  testament,  they  had  the  promise  of  the 
land  of  Canaan  upon  condition  of  obedience;  but  eternal 
life,  or  the  eternal  inheritance,  was  dependent  upon  the 
edicacy  of  Christ's  death ;  which  availed  before  God  as  a 
real  atonement,  and  a  ransom  for  the  transgressions 
conniiitted  even  by  believers  under  the  legal  dispensa- 
tion, wlio.  daring  their  lifetime,  did  not  obtain  the  heir- 
ship to  the  everlasting  inheritance. 

Christ  is  the  good  olive  tree.  The  patriarchs,  tJie 
pi-ophots,  and  the  holy  men  of  old  were  prospective 
liranchcs  in  tlie  good  olive.  Those  Jews  who  believed, 
and  yet  lived  when  Christ  came,  received  him.  The 
aged  Simeon  said,  "Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart 
in  ])eace.  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation."  And 
Paul,  in  Gal.  3,  "Now  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  were 
the  ])romises  made.  He  saith  not,  and  to  seeds,  as 
manv."  "And  the  scripture,  foreseeing  that  God  would 
justify  the  heathen  through  faith,  preached  before  the 
gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  in  thee  Shall  all  nations 
be  blessed.  So.  then,  they  that  be  of  the  faith  arc  bless- 
ed witli  faithful  Abraham."  From  the  above  scriptures 
it  is  ])lain  that  Christ  is  the  good  olive  tree,  and  that 
Abraham  was  a  prospective  branch  in  him :  and  so  were 


18  Infant  Baptism. 

all  who  stood  in  the  same  faith.  All  the  Old  Testament 
helievers  were  under  the  ])romise  and  were  acceptable 
to  God:  but  did  not  constitute  his  church,  as  they  were 
not  organized  into  clnirch  fellowship.  Indeed  they 
conld  not  be  in  true  church  order ;  because  they  had  not 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  an  abiding  and  indwelling  principle. 
The  unbelieving  Jews  who  composed  by  far  the  larger 
part  of  the  congregation,  rejected  Christ,  and  were  bro- 
ken, or  cut  oflf  from  their  privileges  as  the  descendants 
of  Abraham.  "He  came  unto  his  own  and  his  own  re- 
ceived him  not."  The  offer  was  first  made  to  them, 
but  when  they  rejected  it,  God  also  rejected  them.  If 
they  repent,  God  will  graft  them  again  into  the  good 
Olive  Tree,  in  whom  their  father  Abraham  hoped. 

The  matter  relative  to  infant  baptism  may  be  sum- 
med up  thus :  Under  the  old  dispensation  there  was  a 
command  to  circumcise  male  children;  under  the  new, 
there  is  no  command  nor  precedent  for  the  baptism  of 
children ;  but  a  i^lain,  positive  command  to  baptize  adult 
believers;  and  in  all  the  history  of  baptism  in  the  ISTew 
Testament  we  find  none  others  baptized.  Does  it  not 
appear  very  strange  that  if  the  Jews  were  the  church  of 
God,  and  if  the  Christian  church  is  a  continuation  of 
the  Jewish  church  with  changed  ordinances,  and  the 
spiritual  life  the  same  in  both  the  old  and  the  new 
church,  that  Christ  required  a  radical  change  in  the 
character  of  those  who  were  members  of  the  Jewish 
church  in  order  to  .become  members  of  his  church,  and 
that  not  only  of  those  who  were  only  of  the  lineal  de- 
scent of  Abraham,  but  also  of  those  who  stood  in  the 


Jewish  Prose/ vie  Baptism.  19 

faith  of  Abraliani  ?  "IIc'  came  unto  his  own,  and  his 
own  received  him  not;  but  as  many  as  received  him,  to 
them  gave  he  poicer  to  heconie  the  sons  of  God."  If 
tliey  had  been  children  of  God,  why  should  he  give  them 
})0wer  to  become  w^hat  tiiey  already  had  been?  To  his 
disciples  who  were  pious,  believing  Jews,  (Judas  ex- 
cepted) he  said,  "Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as 
little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en ;"  and  hence  were  unqualified  for  church  membership. 
Christ's  chur-jh  was  not  then  organized.  It  was  not 
established  until  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  given  as  an  abiding  principle. 

Christianity  and  Judaism  are  not  the  same.  The 
Apostle  Paul  labored  earnestly  to  distinguish  them. 
Judaism  emliraced  the  whole  Jewish  nation, — both  the 
evil  and  the  good:  the  church  of  Christ  embraces  only 
the  truly  converted.  Judaism  was  a  national  institu- 
tion: the  church  of  Christ  is  an  assembly  of  believers 
from  which  all  are  excluded  who  are  not  pious  and 
upright  in  life. 

Lalwred  efforts  have  been  made  to  prove  infant  bap- 
tism from  historical  records.  The  claim  is  that  Jewish 
prosel3i;es  were  circumcised  and  baptized;  and  that  this 
practice  continued  until  the  time  of  Christ.  By  this  it 
is  claimed  that  infant  baptism  was  a  matter  familiar  to 
all  Jews;  and  of  course  they  would  expect  a  continua- 
tion of  it  in  the  Christian  church.  Mamonides,  a 
learned  Jew  of  the  twelfth  century  is  given  as  special 
autliorJty  for  the  assertion  that  proselyte  baptism  was 
common  among  the  Jews.     Josephus,  a  noted  Jewish 


20  Infant  Baptism. 

historian  who  was  l)om  A.  D.  37,  does  not  name  such 
jjractice  as  that  of  baptizing  the  children  of  proselytes. 
The  general  results  of  investigation  seem  to  prove  that 
it  was  not  one  of  the  Jewish  ceremonies  until  long  after 
the  coming  of  Christ,  and  that  there  is  much  to  sug- 
gest that  the  Jewish  rite  owes  its  origin  to  Christian  bap- 
tism. But  we  will  not  spend  time  on  this  argument, 
as  every  Bible  reader  knows  that  the  Jews  were  strictly 
forbidden  to  add  anything  to  God's  law.  "Ye  shall  not 
add  unto  the  word  which  T  command  you."  (Deut.  4  :3). 
If  the  Jews  did  baptize  proselytes  and  their  children 
during  the  time  of  our  Savior,  they  added  to  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord,  and  were  transgressors  of  the 
law.  They  had  a  couimand  to  circumcise  such,  but  not 
to  baptize  them.  To  defend  the  practice  (if  it  ever  ex- 
isted) is  to  justify  God's  people  in  the  violation  of  his 
plain  command.  But  if  they  did  practice  it,  is  it  not 
remarkable  that  not  one  of  the  proj)hets  protested  against 
such  an  innovation?  And  inasmuch  as  no  such  protest 
is  found  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets,  this  alone  is 
strong  and  conclusive  evidence  that  such  practice  never 
existed  during  their  time. 

Another  argument  in  favor  of  infant  baptism  is 
based  on  Acts  2  :39 :  "For  the  promise  is  to  you,  and  to 
your  children,  ajid  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many 
as  the  Lord  Our  God  shall  call."  It  is  claimed  that  the 
promise  is  the  same  as  that  in  Gen.  17:7,  to  Abraham: 
"to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee;" 
and  they  reason  thus:  As  seed  means  children,  and 
children  means  seed,  and  as  parents  and  children  were 


Baptism  of  Households.  21 

inoludod  in  the  one,  it  must  be  that  parents  and  infants 
are  intended' in  the  other.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
promise  was  not  only  to  them  and  to  their  children, 
"))ut  to  all  who  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  God  sliall 
call."  Surely  no  one  will  contend  that  this  includes 
those  wlio  have  not  come  to  years  of  understanding. 
The  promise  extends  to  all  who  are  called.  It  extends 
to  us  and  to  our  eliildren,  and  to  all  sane  persons  who 
may  be  born  into  the  world,  if  we  and  they  yield  obedi- 
ence to  the  grace  of  God,  and  are  regenerated  through 
the  Spirit  and  Word  of  the  Lord.  Primarily  the  prom- 
ise" was  to  the  Jews  and  to  their  children,  and  then  to 
the  G<^ntiles  who  were  considered  afar  off;  but  who  were 
afterwards  brouglit  nigh  by  faith  in  Christ.  'I'bere  is 
nothing  whatever  in  the  text  to  support  infant  baptism. 
The  last  argument  we  will  notice  is  that  of  the 
baptism  of  households.  One  learned  advocate  of  infant 
baptism  says,  ^'It  cannot  be  denied  that  Lydia  and 
Stephanus,  Cornelius  and  the  jailor  were  the  only  be- 
lieving members  in  their  respective  families."  This 
assertion  is  void  of  scriptural  proof.  In  the  case  of 
Cornelius  it  is  recorded,  "While  Peter  yet  spake  these 
words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  which  heard  the 
ivord.''  Again :  "Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these 
should  be  baptized,  who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  well  as  we?"  Could  anything  be  plainer?  These 
were  all  adults ;  for  they  spaJce  with  tongues  and  magni- 
fied God." 

The  defenders  of  infant  baptism  say,  "Not  a  word  is 
said  that  any  of  Lydia's  household  believed,  and  yet  we 


22  Infant  Baptism. 

are  informed  tluit  slie  and  lior  linusehold  were  baptized ; 
and  tliat  it  is  manifest  that  those  who  ^omposcd  the 
household  were  baptized  on  the  faith  of  the  parent." 
We  ask,  where  is  the  scriptural  authority  to  baptize  one 
person  upon  the  faith  of  another?  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles commanded  baptism  upon  faith;  not  upon  the  faith 
of  another;  but  upon  the  faith  of  the  individual  believ- 
er. Paul  baptized  the  house  of  Stephanus.  He  says, 
I  Cor.  If)  :15,  ''Ye  know  the  house  of  Stephanus,  that  it 
is  the  first  fruits  of  Achaia,  and  that  iliey  have  addictfd 
111  em  selves  to  the  ministry  of  the  saints."  From  this 
we  infer  that  the  members  of  the  house  were  not  infant 
children,  but  were  persons  of  understanding,  and  of  will 
power. 

Of  the  jailor  it  is  written.  "And  they  said,  Believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy 
house.  And  they  spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  all  that  were  in  his  house."  (Acts  16).  They 
would  not  have  spoken  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  infant 
children.  It  is  evident  that  they  baptized  only  those 
to  whom  they  had  spoken  the  word  of  the  Lord;  there- 
fore they  baptized  none  but  believers. 

We  will  not  attempt  to  refute  the  argmnents  based 
upon  the  testimony  of  the  church  fathers;  as  it  would 
enlarge  this  treatise  beyond  our  wish;  neither  do  we 
deem  it  a  duty.  Tn  many  cases  the  testimony  is  from 
such  who  were  not  sound  in  doctrine.  For  example, 
Irenaus.  who  wrote  about  sixty  years  after  the  ajwstles, 
is  quoted  as  follows:  "Christ  came  to  save  all  persons 
who  by  liim  are  born  again    (baptized)   unto  God;  in- 


Peda-bdptist  Reasoning,  23 

fants,  and  little  ones,  and  children."  Can  little  ones  be 
born  again?  Baptism  is  not  the  new  birth.  Tertullian, 
who  lived  about  the  beginning  of  the  third  century,  is 
quoted  as  authority  for  the  baptism  of  children;  yet  we 
have  evidence  that  he  recommended  the  delay  of  baptism 
until  mature  years.  .In  what  century  of  the  Christian 
era  the  baptism  of  children  came  into  use,  is  difficult  to 
ascertain.  The  testimony  of  those  who  lived  in  the  ear- 
lier centuries  is  conflicting;  neither  is  it  important  for 
us  to  know.  The  only  reliable  authorities  in  the  case 
are  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles;  and  since  they  did  not 
authorize  the  baptism  of  infants,  it  is,  therefore,  anti- 
christian.  There  is  no  consistency  in  baptizing  persons 
l)efore  they  have  come  to  years  of  understanding. 

An  eminent  pedo-baf)tist  writer,  after  urging  the  du- 
ties of  church-membership  upon  the  unbaptized,  then 
adds,  that  special  attention  should  be  given  to  those  who 
have  been  admitted  to  visible  menibership  in  their  infan- 
cy, and  have  attained  to  the  age  when  it  is  their  duty 
publicly  to  profess  the  religion  of  Jesus  before  the 
church  and  the  world  by  confirming ,  or  taking  upon 
themselves  the  vows  made  at  their  baptism  in  infancy. 
The  same  author  urges  the  validity  of  infant  baptism 
upon  the  ground  that  if  the  children  of  believing  parents 
were  not  baptized  and  admitted  to  visible  church  mem- 
bership, there  would  be  a  peculiar  class  of  persons,  the 
iinhapiized  offspring  of  believing  parents.  He  says, 
•'This  class  would  b}^  birth  be  within  the  visible  church, 
and  yet  l)y  the  denial  of  its  initiatory  ordinance,  be 
without  it."     Such  reasoning  exposes  the  evil  of  infant 


24  Infant  Baptism. 

nif-inhcrsliip.  ITpnri  wliat  Scriptural  groimd  can  any 
one  rpcognize  tliat  the  ofl'spring  of  believing  parents  are 
"b}'  birth  witbi]i  the  visible  church?"  Snch  indeed 
would  be  of  that  class  tliat  John  says  are  "born  of 
blcod.*' 

Does  not  every  one  know  that  the  children  of  Chris- 
tian })arenis  are  by  riature  carnal  and  sinful  as  well  as 
others  are,  and  need  repentance  and  regeneration  as 
well  ?  They  have  the  same  need  of  awakening  to  a 
knowledge  of  their  sins  and  of  their  need  of  a  Savior  as 
have  the  mibaptized.  Herein  lies  one  of  the  great  evils 
of  this  practice.  Tlie  baptized  children  are  under  the 
instruction  and  guidance  of  the  church,  comforted  on 
that  account  with  a  promise  of  the  blessing,  and  if  they 
grow  up  fairly  moral  and  well  disposed,  tliey  will  attend 
worship  and  believe  and  practice  the  creed  of  the  churcli. 
and  all  this  they  will  do  without  a  true,  saving  knowl- 
edge of  the  requirements  of  the  New  Testament.  But 
if  they  grow  up  wicked  and  ungodly  do  they  recognize 
them  as  members?  If  not  where  do  they  place  them? 
Infant  baptism  is  at  variance  with  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Gospel. 

The  call  from  heaven  to  man  has  ever  been.  'Re- 
pent and  be  l)aptized,"  "Repent  and  be  converted," 
"Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."  These  scriptures  convey  the 
idea  of  a  state  of  sin,  and  a  duty  to  God,  and  a  need  of 
a  Savior,  and  must  be  heard,  and  experienced,  and  ol)ey- 
ed  liy  every  "one  who  desires  salvation,  and  are  designed  to 
apply  to  everyone;  but  we  must  ask,  when  do  they  apply 


They   Too  Need  Repentance.  25 

to  tlio  youtlifiil.  ros])nniii)»lo  ni('nil)ers  of  the  pedo-baptist 
faitli?  Apiiii.  Christ's  coiiiiiiission  to  liis  apostles  in- 
structs us  to  tea;-h  and  then  ha])tize  upon  faith,  wliieh 
eoni]iorts  witli  all  scripture  teacliinu';  hut  how  can 
any  of  this  accord  with  infant  liaptisni.  Those  who  de- 
fend this  doctrine  must  claim  that  the  infant-baptized 
mt'inhers,  on  account  of  rheii-  ha|)tism,  are  always  under 
grace  and  never  come  undci'  the  moral  law  as  its  trans- 
gressors, and  so  do  not  commit  sin  to  lie  repented  of; 
hence  they  do  not  need  the  service  of  that  law  as  their 
school-master  to  bring  them  to  Christ.  Now  if  they  en- 
joy a  blessing  above  the  unbai)tized  on  account  of  their 
church  relation,  we  should  witness  the  fruits  of  it  in  a 
better  life;  but  as  they  grow  u])  in  sin,  and  live  after  the 
rtesh  as  the  world  does,  we  must  believe  that  their  bap- 
tismal vow  is  no  help  to  them,  and  it  certainly  does  not 
chang(>  their  relation  to  their  God.  "It  is  better  not  to 
vow,  than  to  vow  and  not  to  pay." 

It  would  seem  out  of  place  for  us  to  again  he  neces- 
sitated to  call  attention  to  the  one  great  object  of  Christ's 
mission  upon  earth,  which  was  to  unbar  the  way  to  Para- 
dise, which  he  did  by  healing  the  breach  made  by  sin, 
and  thus  satisfying  divine  justice.  We  have  thereby 
been  set  free  from  the  consequences  of  Adam's  trans- 
gression, and  are  no  more  fettered  by  the  judgment  of  a 
broken  law,  only  we  inherit  the  consequent  effect  of  sin 
in  our  mortal,  sinl'ul  bodies.  This  is  a  standing  testi- 
mony ot  man's  utter  hel])lessness.  and  an  unceasing  ap- 
l)eal  to  his  conscience  to  be  reconciled  with  God  through 
the  means  provided.    As  this  can  be  active  only  after  we 


26  Infant  Baptism. 

attain  to  an  age  when  we  can  discern  between  good  and 
evil ;  so  we  are  not  accountable  before  that  age,  but  are 
saved  by  tlie  merits  of  Clirist.  We  read  that  he  blessed 
little  children  and  said,  "Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  He  did  not  baptize  them,  nor  did  he  com- 
mand tliem  to  be  baptized,  and  yet  he  could  pronounce 
the  blessing  of  peace  upon  them.  His  calls  to  the  un- 
converted all  convey  the  force  and  necessity  of  rational 
reflecting  tlionght.  Xothing  to  convey  the  idea  that 
one  should  stand  as  sponsor  for  another.  There  is  but 
one  way  of  salvation  indicated,  and  that  is  by  conviction, 
repentance,  faith  and  regeneration,  and  these  must  be 
experienced  individually  and  not  by  proxy.  Each  of  us 
stands  accountable  to  God  for  himself  in  these  exercises, 
and  no  one  can  answer  for  another.  The  Apostle  tells 
us  that  "without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God;" 
and  we  should  all  know  that  the  faith  of  one  cannot  by 
any  effort  of  the  mind  be  made  effective  to  the  saving  of 
another.  We  can  all  accept  that  if  one  person  cannot  ex- 
ercise active,  living  faith  to  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  no 
one  else  can  for  him,  and  any  ordinance  administered 
upon  him  would  not  change  his  condition.  The  same 
is  true  of  the  innocent,  unconscious  child.  Until  it  at- 
tains to  the  age  of  discretion,  it  has  the  same  sure  word 
of  promise  as  has  the  most  faithful  servant  of  the  Mas- 
ter; and  as  we  can  assume  nothing  for  a  person  after  he 
attains  to  the  age  of  accountability,  so  also  we  can  do 
nothing,  and  need  do  nothing  for  him  before  that  time. 
If  Christ  expiated  the  guilt  of  Adam's  transgressions, 
surely  the  innocent  child  should  share  the  fruits  of  it, 


Baptism   Not  Applicable  to  Infants.  27 

at  least  as  fully  as  the  wilful  sinner  who  turns  and  hope- 
fully seeks  salvation  through  the  merits  of  Christ's  re- 
(l('mj)li()n.  If  ("hrist's  atonement  does  not  save  little 
{•iiildrcn  w  ithout  tiie  oKservauce  of  l)a])tism.  surely  it  will 
not  with  it ;  for  baptism  can  be  properly  and  eonsistentlv 
atl ministered  only  u[)on  rational,  intelligent  persons. 
We  might  here  ask.  what  does  the  baptism  of  little  child- 
ren signify?  Wliat  does  it  effect?  The  apostle  Peter 
tells  us  that  the  impoi't  of  ba])tism  is  "not  the  putting 
away  of  the  tilth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good 
conscience  toward  Cod.''  Will  this  apply  to  infants? 
Can  they  he  said  to  have  the  answer  of  a  conscience? 
'I'hey  know  nothing  of  either  a  good  or  a  had  conscience. 
Ts  not  the  conscience  of  a  child  as  latent  as  are  its  intel- 
lectual powers?  When  do  we  need  conscience?  When 
we  reach  the  age  of  accountahility,  and  then  God  in  his 
mercy  develops  it  as  he  does  the  mind.  The  apostle 
James  says,  "He  that  knoweth  to  do  good  and  doeth  it 
not.  to  him  it  is  sin."  What  is  the  good  referred  to 
here?  There  is  nothing  good  but  what  emanates  from 
God.  We  must  then  conclude  that  the  good  referred  to 
by  the  apostle  is  that  service  to  God,  of  which  his  con- 
victing grace,  as  soon  as  we  can  realize  the  consequences 
of  sin.  and  our  accountahility  to  him,  will  convict  us  by 
prompting  us  to  flee  his  wrath  and  seek  shelter  under 
"the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  T."  As  none  of  this  ser- 
vice can  be  rendered  by  innocent  children,  certainly 
they  have  no  acconntability. 

There  is  much  said  and  written  about  the  duty  and 
obligation  of  jiarents  and  sponsors  to  their  children  or 


28  Mode  of  Baptism. 

warrls,  tliat  tliey  bring  thoiii  up  under  tlie  nurture  of  the 
clnnvh,  not  only  by  enlisting  their  affections  for  the 
eliurcli  of  their  choice,  ))ut  by  sncli  liel})s  as  the  Sunda}'- 
Sehoo],  tlie  ("bristian  Endeavor,  and  otlier  accessories. 
To  this  we  would  say,  far  better  teach  them  that  they 
are  sinners  Far  better  teach  them  that  they  should 
honor  the  convictiiig  grace  of  God  l)y  rendering  obedi- 
encf  to  Ids  will,  that  they  may  have  hope  of  the  pardon 
of  their  sins.  All  Christian  parents  will  admonish  their 
children  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  Tliey  will  teach  them 
to  be  respectful  and  truthful :  and  we  repeat,  above  all, 
teach  jheni  that  tlun'  are  sinners,  and  liave  need  of  re- 
])entance  and  regeneration  by  faith  in  Christ.  They  seek 
to  set  them  a  good  example  in  conduct  and  conversation; 
but  tliey  i)y  no  means  urge  them  to  join  the  church, 
since  the  cliurch  can  not  give  them  life;  but  they"  urge 
them  to  come  to  Christ  and  obtain  pardon  from  sin,  that 
they  may  have  sjiiritual  life;  then  they  will  come  to  the 
chiircli. 

Mode  of  Baptism. 

This  subject  has  been  the  occasion  of  much  anima- 
ted controversy ;  and  many  sincere  truth-seeking  souls 
have  ])een  deeply  perplexed  concerning  it,  and  would 
liave  gladly  submitted  to  any  mode  of  which  they  could 
have  had  certain  knowledge  as  being  of  divine  appoint- 
ment. We  cannot  but  accept  that  the  omission  of  an 
express  specific  mode  of  administration  of  ordinances, 
under  tlie  gospel  dispensation,  was  not  without  design, 
and  particularly  as  relates  to  baptism.  The  absence  of 
a  definite  mode  has  a  tendency  to  lead  sincere  seekers 


The  Martyrs  and  Baptism.  29 

into  a  cMivful  inquiry  as  to  the  design  of  tlie  ordinance. 
Throu.irli  tins  exercise  tluT  will  discover  that  the  merit 
and  virtuf  are  not  in  the  ordinance,  nor  in  the  mode 
of  administration.  1)ut  alone  in  the  meritorious  right- 
eousness of  ("lirist.  After  tlie  attainment  of  this  knowl- 
edge, and  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the  will  in  true 
re])entance.  the  ordinance  ca«  be  observed  in  a  gospel 
spirit,  and  it  will  tend  to  strengthen  faith  and  love; 
but  on  the  other  hand,  if  observed  in  a  legal  spirit,  as 
a  direct  means  of  salvation,  without  proper  knowledge 
and  experience,  it  will  .tend  to  tlie  dishonor  of  God, 
will  darken  the  understanding,  and  rob  Christ  of  the 
honor  of  having  wrought  a  complete  redemption. 

Historians  tell  lis  that  as  early  as  the  beginning 
of  the  iifth  century,  and  notably  during  the  sixteenth, 
there,  was  much  controversy  as  to  the  subjects  to  whom 
baptism  should  bo  administered,  but  not  as  to  the  mode 
of  administration.  In  that  century  thousands  of  the 
most  devoted  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  whom  the 
woi-ld  <'ver  knew  olTered  up  their  lives  for  the  cause  of 
the  truth.  They  were  opposed  to  infant  baptism;  but 
relative  to  the  mode  of  administration,  there  appears  to 
have  been  no  issue.  It  is  remarkable  that  in  such  an 
age  as  that  of  the  reforuuition.  when  there  were  so  many 
heated  controversies  upon  so  many  different  subjects,' 
and  among  them  the  subject  of  baptism,  that  we  find  no 
([uestion  raised  as  to  the  mode,  although  we  have  re- 
liable historical  information  that,  at  least  in  previous 
centuries,  diiterent  modes  were  practised. 

It  is  evident  that  the  seiatinient  now  held  by  the 


30  Afode  of  Baptism. 

German  anr]  ilio  TMi,i;lisli  baptists,  tliat  iinniorsion  is  the 
only  rigiit  mode  oL'  l)a|)(ism.  was  not  then  entertained. 
Of  tliose  \\h()  suifered  martyrdom  during  the  sixteenth 
e(mtury,  there  was  a  considerable  nnmber  who  were  bap- 
tized in  private  dwellings.  jSTumbers  confessed  in  their 
exaniin"ation  })efore  inquisitors  that  they  were  so  bap- 
tized. In  that  time  JMemio  Simon  lived  and  labored 
most  devotedly  for  the  [)romulgation  of  sound  doctrine, 
and  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  He  could  not  have  been 
ignorant  of  the  fact  that  persons  whom  he  recognized  as 
fellow-believers  were  baptized  in  houses;  and  since  we 
lind  no  protest  in  his  writings  against  such  baptism,  we 
coiu'liide  that  tins  faithful  servant  of  the  Lord  did  not 
hold  the  doctrine  that  immersion  alone  is  baptism.  When 
the  confession  and  pure  lives  of  those  people,  as  record- 
ed in  history,  is  duly  considered,  the  impression  is  made 
that  they  followed  the  Land)  whithersoever  he  led  them, 
were  redeemed  from  among  men.  and  had  the  name  of 
their  Lord  written  on  their  foreheads. 

Baptists  maintain  that  the  word  baptize  signifies  to 
immerse,  and  little  else.  Baptize  is  the  anglicized  form 
of  the  Greek  word  haptizo.  Many  men,  eminent  for 
learning,  are  quoted  by  Baptists  as  authority  that  the 
original  word  for  baptism  means  to  dip,  to  plunge,  and 
to  submerge.  On  the  other  hand,  pedo-baptists  claim 
some  of  those  same  men  as  authority  for  pour,  sprinkle, 
bathe,  etc.  In  addition  to  these,  they  cite  many  other 
authorities  to  prove  that  l)aptize  not  only  means  to  im- 
inerse.  but  also,  to  pour  and  to  sprinkle.  Some  author- 
ities give  immersion,  pouring,  sprinkling,  perfusion,  or 


Definition  of  Baptism.  31. 

washing  in  any  way.  Luther's  German  translation  from 
the  Greek  renders  the  word  laiiffen;  whereas,,  if  baptize 
signified  only  immersion,  it  should  have  been  rendered 
einfcnirhpii.  Dr.  ^liller,  foniierly  of  Princeton  College, 
said  to  liave  been  one  of  tlie  best  Greek  scholars  of  his 
time,  is  quoted  as  follows:  "1  can  assure  you  that  the 
word  which  is  rendered  baptizo,  does  legitimately  signify 
the  a|»]»lication  of  water  in  any  way  as  well  as  by  immer- 
sion. 1  can  assure  you  if  the  most  mature  and  compe- 
tent (ireek  scholars  that  ever  lived,  may  be  allowed  to 
decide  in  this  case,  that  many  e.\am{)les  of  the  use  of 
this  word  occur  in  scripture  in  which  it  not  only  77iay, 
bvit  iiiiisi  signify  sprinkling,  perfusion,  or  washing  in 
any  way." 

In  Menno  Simon's  admonition  to  scorners  of  water 
baptism,  tliis  language  occurs:  "How  any  one  who  re- 
fuses (Jod  a  liaitdful  of  water  can  conform  himself  to 
love  liis  enemies."  Again,  the  following  expression  is 
found  in  his  writings  upon  baptism:  "than  to  have  a 
handful  of  water  applied."  But  this  same  author  is 
claimed  l)y  the  advocates  of  immersion.  In  his  complete 
works,  page  204,  is  found  the  following :  "For  however 
industriously  we  may  search  day  and  night,  we  yet  find 
but  one  baptism  in  the  water  pleasing  to  God,  which  is 
expressed  and  contained  in  his  word."  Again  on  page 
231,  '"Let  all  the  world  under  the  heavens  oppose  in 
every  way  in  which  they  are  able,  this  is  the  only  mode 
of  baptism  which  Jesus  Christ  himself  instituted,  and 
the  a])ostles  taught  and  practised."  Any  one  taking  the 
pains  to  read  the  context  to  these  two  extracts,  will 


32  Mode  of  Baptism. 

rcudily  pcrccixd  tluit  tlu'  aullior  luul  no  rciVrciice  to  tlie 
inoilc  of  adniinislcriiig  tlie  oi'diiiajice.  but  only  to  wlioni 
it  should  1)0  administered — to  IjclJcviug  adults,  and  not 
to  infants. 

Baptists  ([uotc  lai'ii'cly  I'roui  the  early  history  of  Uie 
ehureli.  and  a  stroni^-  eil'ort  is  made  to  trace  immersion 
baek  to  the  times  of  the  ai)ostles  through  these  writings. 
So  far  there  seems  to  he  nothing  reliable  found  on  record 
concerning  the  mode  }n-actised  during  the  first  and  part 
of  the  second  century.  Aside  from  the  fact  that  the  use 
of  one  mode  [prevailed  in  general  for  a  time,  and  then 
another  mode  in  tlie  same  way.  it  seems  that  all  the  es- 
tablished modes  were  practised  more  or  less  all  the  time. 
\\  (■  .aiiiiot  coniniend  the  too  couimon  ])ractice  of  the  ad- 
Mxales  of  one  mode  (pioling  only  such  authors  as  sup- 
ported Ihat  particular  mode,  to  the  almost  entire  cxclu- 
sion  ol  opposing  testimony,  ^.either  can  we  accept  as 
reliable  all  that  is  tjuoted.  since  there  seems  to  be  an  al- 
most uidimitetl  amount  of  evidence  to  support  any  of  the 
modes:  and  it  occurs  very  often  that  assertions  are  made 
but  not  ]tro\cn.  How  can  a  writer  of  the  fourth  or 
sixth  century  state  so  positively,  as  many  do,  that  a  cer- 
tain mode  [U'l'vailed  sim-e  the  days  of  the  apostles,  or  was 
commanded  by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  still  give  no 
\)vooi  of  it  by  quoting  from  the  writings  of  those  who 
li^ed  in  the  first  and  second  centuries?  That  they  quote 
nothing,  is  conclusive  |)roof  that  nothing  was  written 
then  thai  was  extant  in  the  time  of  these  writers.  It  is 
well  authenticated  that  there  was  a  general  decline  of 
the  cluu'ch,  ag  was  foi'etold  by  the  apostles  and  witnessed 


Both  Modes  Practiced.  33 

by  John  in  tlie  Revelations,  and  which  increased  until 
darkness  gouerall}'  prevailed;  so  we  must  accept  with  a 
degree  of  allowance,  most  of  what  is  quoted ;  for  hov;  can 
ll)e  cause  of  Christ  l)e  advanced  by  using  testimony  of  any 
sect  or  people  who  are  not  fully  in  accord  with  gospel 
teaching,  and  who  do  not  show  forth  in  their  faith  and 
in-actise  those  fruits  which  heaven  designed  as  a  wjtness 
to  the  world  that  Christ  has  sent  them. 

We  find  in  the  Martyrs'  Mirror,  which  is  a  compila- 
iion  from  various  authentic  chronicles  and  testimoniak, 
giving  an  account  of  the  faith,  doctrine  and  sufferings 
of  the  defenseless  Christians  during  sixteen  hundred 
years,  that  baptism  was  frequently  administered  in  the 
water,  and  there  are  repeated  instances  where  it  is  ex- 
l^ressly  stated  that  they  immersed  the  applicants ;  but  we 
have  found  but  one  instance  of  trine  immersion  in  the 
work.  Then  on  the  other  side  we  find  Cyprian  of  the 
fourth  century  quoted  as  saying,  "The  sprinkling  with 
Avater  is  of  equal  validity  with  the  laver."  Eucherius 
says.  ''The  victim  is  washed  when  a  believer  is  sprinkled 
with  the  water  of  baptism."  About  the  year  250,  Urian, 
Macellinus  and  Justin  were  drawn  to  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. They  were  baptized  by  a  minister  named  Justin, 
who  rejoiced  that  such  learned  men  should  bow  to  the 
yoke  of  Jesus.  He  instructed  them,  and  afterwards  had 
water  brought  and  baptized  them  on  confession  of  their 
faith.  This  circumstance  would  indicate  that  these  were 
not  baptized  by  immersion.  There  is  also  allusion  made 
to  the  fact  that  persons  who  were  dangerously  ill,  or  as 
it  is  stated  in  some  places,  'S-ery  sick/'  were  baptized, 


34  -Mode  of  Baptism, 

but.evideiitly  iiol  by  iiuiuersion.  When  brought  before 
the  inquisitors;,  many  testified  that  they  were  baptized 
in  the  houses  of  sojue  of  their  brethren.  In  the  fourth 
century,  Optatus  Mile  Vitanus,  in  giving  instruction  to 
eatechuniens  upon  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  used  these 
words:  -''We.  know  that  in  the  observance  of  baptism, 
there  are  three. essential  points;  the  first  relates  to  the 
Holy  Trinity ;  the  second,  to  the  believers ;  and  the  third, 
to  the  baptizer."  The  mode  was  not  named  in  the  con- 
sideiration  of  what  is  important  in  baptism;  and  as  we 
do  not  find  in  the  entire  work  a  single  controversy  about 
the  mode,  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  not  dis- 
puted, although  it  is  very  evident  that  different  modes 
were  practised. 

.-  •  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  in  many  of  the  explana- 
tions of  baptism  during  the  early  centuries  there  is  more 
virtue  ascribed  to  water  baptism  than  the  scriptures 
warrant.  It  is  called  the  '^^Dath  of  regeneration,"  and 
esteemed  as  the  means  essential  to  the  forgiveness  of  sin. 
During  the  sixth  century  we  find  sentiments  like  these 
freely  expressed:  "The  souls  of  the  elect,  or  baptized, 
have  lost  in  baptism  the  impurity  of  the  old  man,  and 
are-made  new  in  Christ."  "Ba])tism  is  adivine  fountain 
in-. -which  believers  are  regeneraterl .  and  beconie  new 
creatures.?'  ■■■"And  is  washed  by  baptism  from  the' poilit- 
tion^  of.  sin."  -Such  sentiments-  are  evidence  of  ascribing 
t©o- much  virtue  to  an  outward  ordinance;  and  always 
show  a  lack  of  the  true  import  of  the  ordinance,  and  of' 
the  true  knowledge  of  regeneration.  As  a  fruit  of  the 
Yene:ration  in  which  baptism,  and  particularly  im^mer- 


Nothing  Conclusive  as  to  Mode.  36 

• 
.sioii,  was  held  during  the  earlier  centuries,  there  were 

some  practices  associated  with  the  administration  of  it 
that  were  wholly  without  scriptural  warrant.  Among 
these  were  nude  immersions  and  the  putting  on  of 
white  robes  after  baptism,  both  of  which,  it  is  said,  were 
practised  more  or  less  by  the  Catholic,  Greek  and  Prot- 
estant churches;  and  were  defended  on  the  ground  that 
they  represented  the  putting  off  the  sins  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  putting  on  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  When 
we  find  such  manifestation  of  a  legal  spirit,  either  in 
the  use  of,  or  in  the  mode  of  administering  and  observ- 
ing the  ordinances,  or  in  attaching  too  much  importance 
to  the  outward  expression  to  the  neglect  of  the  divine 
life,  we  must  conclude  that  such  are  evidences  of  a  state 
of  darkness.  During  the  sixteenth  century  when  the 
church  of  Christ  stood  so  valiantly  for  the  truth,  and  left 
on  record  such  bright  and  inspiring  examples  of  the 
power  of  living,  saving  faith,  we  find  no  such  sentiments 
ascribing  saving  virtue  to  an  outward  ordinance,  neither 
controversy  about  the  mode.  It  is  remarkable  how  sound 
were  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  believers  during  that 
trying  time. 

We  could  obtain  almost  unlimited  evidence  from 
encyclopedias  and  theological  works,  in  support  of  either 
immersion,  or  pouring,  but  such  additional  information 
wouW  increase  the  size  of  this  tract  tieyoiid. our  desire; 
and  at  best  would  but  be  the  testimony  of  men".  As 
honest  enquirers  after  truth,  we  cannot  settle  anything 
definitely  as  to  the  word  haptizo;  since  learned  men  do 
not  agree  as  to  its  limitations.     There  is  agreement  that 


36  Mode  of  Baptism. 

it  means  to  dip  and  immerse,  but  there  is  not  agreement 
that  it  also  means  perfusion,  pouring  and  sprinkling. 
From  the  practice  of  professed  Christian  teachers  who 
have  lived  in  the  past,  we  can  learn  nothing  conclusive ; 
as  different  modes  have  been  practised  by  different  per- 
sons at  different  times.  It  will  therefore  be  best  for  us 
to  confine  oiirsehes  as  closely  to  the  Scriptures  as  possi- 
ble. 

John  was  a  herald  of  the  Savior.  His  baptism  was 
preparatory  to  tlie  receiving  of  Christ  as  the  Savior  of 
sinners.  He  testiiied,  "That  Christ  should  be  made 
manifest  to  Israel,  therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with 
water :"  "^'I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  -wilder- 
ness, prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord."  He  directed  his 
disciples  to  believe  on  him  who  should  come  after  him. 
His  baptism  came  between  the  law  and  the  gospel.  It 
was  representative  of  sorrow  for  sin,  and  of  repentance ; 
and  was  practised  under  the  legal  dispensation,  as  the 
law  was  not  yet  fulfilled,  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin  was 
not  yet  ofllered,  the  typical  sacrifice  had  not  ceased,  and 
the  time  for  the  practice  of  gospel  ordinances  had  not 
yet  come.  As  his  ministration  was  under  the  law,  there- 
fore his  baptism  was  not  an  ordinance  under  the  gospel, 
but  under  the  law. 

The  Levites  were  a  figure  or  representation  of - 
John's  disciples.  They  were  inferior  to  the  priests  in 
their  calling;  and  their  duties  were  preparatory  to  the 
service  of  the  priests,  as  John's  ministration  was  ]jre- 
jjaratory  to  the  office  of  spiritual  priests  in  Clanst's 
kingdom.     To  qualify  the  Levites  for  their  service,  the 


The  LevUe  as  a  Figure.  37 

Lord  said  to  Moses,  "And  thus  shalt  thou  do  unto  them 
to  cleanse  them;  sprinkle  water  of  purifying  u])on 
them."  John's  ministration  effected  a  moral  reforma- 
tion in  man.  The  test  was,  "Bring  forth  fruits  meet 
for  repentance."  As  an  expression  and  a  representa- 
tion of  such  a  change,  he  baptized  his  disciples  with 
water.  As  the  Levites  were  sprinkled  with  the  water 
of  purification  to  qualify  them  for  their  office,  may  not 
John  also  have  applied  water  to  those  who  came  to 
him  confessing  their  sins?  The  Levites  were  plainly  a 
figure  of  John's  disciples;  and,  as  they  were  sprinkled 
with  water,  it  would  not  well  coincide  with  the  figure  if 
John  immersed  his  disciples.  That  his  baptism  was  dis- 
tinct from  Christian  baptism,  becomes  the  more  appar- 
ent when  we  consider  Paul's  counsel  to  those  twelve  men 
whom  he  met  at  Ephesus,  who  had  received  John's 
baptism.  He  asked  them,  "Have  you  received  the  Holy 
Ghost  since  ye  believed  ?"  They  replied,  '*We  have  not 
so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost." 
He  then  asked  them,  "Unto  what  then  were  ye  bap- 
tized?" They  answered,  "Unto  John's  baptism."  Paul 
replied,  "John  verily  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  re- 
pentance, saying  unto  the  people  that  they  should  be- 
lieve on  him  who  should  come  after  him,  that  is,  on 
Christ  Jesus.  When  they  heard  this  they  were  baptized 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  (Acts  19.)  It  has 
been  asserted  that  those  men  were  not  baptized  by  an 
authorized  disciple  of  John ;  and  hence  Paul's  act  of  re- 
baptizing  them.  Such  claim  is  not  sustained  by  the 
apostle's  reasoning.     He  stated  facts  to  them  concerning 


38  Mode  of  Baptism. 

the  design  of  John's  baptism,  making  a  distinction  be- 
tween it  and  Christian  baptism. 

We  have  no  evidence  tliat  John  baptized  by  immer- 
sion. It  is  recorded  that  he  baptized  near  to  Enon, 
because  there  was  much  water  there.  Dr.  Smucher,  in 
his  Popular  Theology,  renders  it  viany  springs.  He 
argues  that  plenty  of  water  was  a  necessity  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  people  who  assembled  in  such  large  numbers 
in  that  desert  country.  He  maintains  that  this  is  why 
it  is  stated,  "there  was  much  water  there."  Such  reas- 
oning is  not  groundless  when  it  is  remembered-  that, 
"Then  went  out  to  him,  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea, 
and  all  the  regions  round  about  Jordan,  and 
were  baptized  of  him  in  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins." 
(Mat.  3:5,6.)  The  language,  "There  was  much  water 
there,"  determines  nothing  as  to  the  mode  of  baptism. 
John  had  been  baptizing  at,  or  in  the  Jordan  river, 
where  there  was  no  doubt  water  enough  to  enable  him 
to  baptize  by  immersion,  if  such  was  his  mode.  There 
can  be  no  reliable  inference  drawn  from  his  baptizing 
near  Enon,  as  to  the  mode  practiced. 

Christ  coming  to  John  to  be  baptized  of  him  teach- 
es us  the  impressive  lesson  of  obedience.  Some  of  our 
friends  see  nothing  in  the  baptism  of  Christ  but  an  out- 
ward form  for  us  to  copy  after.  His  language  is  very 
impressive :.  "It  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness." 
There  was  certainly  more  involved  than  being  baptized. 
It  is  certainly  a  righteous  administration  that  will  pro- 
duce these  results:  "Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
make  his  paths  straight.     Every  valley  shall  be  filled, 


Christ  Baptized  by  John.  39 

fmclterery  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  brought  low;  and 
the  crooked  shall  bo  made  straight,  and  the  rough  ways 
sluTll'be  iiuule  smootli :  and  all  ilesh  shall  see  the.salva- 
tion  of  God."  (Luive  3:4,6.)  ''And  he  shall  turn  the 
heart  of  the  fatliers  to  the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the 
children  to  the  fathers."   (Mai.  4:6.) 

■  Christ  had  no  need  of  any  service  that  implied  mor- 
al; impurity;  yet,  as  the  Son  of  man,  and  as  our  ransom, 
he  became  like  unto  us,  sin  excepted.  -Being  under 
the  law,' he  was  circumcised,  and  he  also  kept  the  passr 
over,  which  tjpified  his  atonement.  So  he  also  honored 
the  just  ministration  of  John  by  obedience- to  its  form, 
as  a  lesson  of  obedience  to  us  that  we  should  honor  God's 
economy  by  yielding  obedience  to  the  calls  of  his  grace, 
that  we  may  thereby  attain  to  redemption  by  having  our 
hearts  prepared  by  a  knowledge  of  sin,  which  we  attain 
through  the  law;  and  also  by  becoming  willing  to  for- 
sake unrighteousness,  which  the  mission  of  John  rep- 
resents; and  thus  be  prepared  to  receive  that  kingdom 
which  Christ  came  to  establish  in  our  hearts,  and  wliich 
is  characterized  by  love  and  peace.  John  said,  "I  indeed 
baptize  you  wiili  water;"  which,  if  our  translation  is 
correct,  would  indicate  that  John  applied  water  to  those 
whom  he  baptized,  and  did  not  practice  immersion. 

Our  Baptist  friends  insist  that  as  John  baptized  in 
the  Jordan,  and  our  Savior  was  baptized  by  him,  so  we 
also  should  follow  his  example,  and  as  he  went  into  the 
water  to  be  baptized,  so  should  we.  They  couple  with 
this  that  baptism  is  essential  to  the  remission  of  sin, 
and- that  there  is  no  baptism  but  immersion.     We  are 


40  Mode  of  Baptism. 

persuadecl  that  many  poor  souls  are  misled  by  sHch 
teaching.  One  writer  goes  so  far  as  to  argue  that 
John  and  our  Savior  both  taught  the  same  doctrine  and 
baptized  with  tlie  sauie  baptism.  He  would  make  it  ap- 
pear that  John  baptized  Christ  according  to  the  apos- 
tolic commission,  which  would  baptize  him  in  his  own 
name.  This  may  all  seem  plausible;  but  John  could 
not  hare  baptized  in  the  name  of  Christ,  for  Christ  was 
not  yet  revealed  as  the  Messiah  when  John  began  to 
baptize,  and  his  ministry  was  nearly  finished  when  he 
baptized  our  Savior.  Cbristian  l^aptism  is  an  initiatory 
ordinance;  and  if  John's  was  such,  into  what  did  it 
initiate?  The  Christian  church  was  not  yet  establislTed, 
nor  could  it  be  before  the  atonement,  and  before  the 
outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Again,  as  water  bap- 
tism is  accepted  to  be  representative  of  the  baptism 
by  the  Spirit,  embraced  in  Avhieh  is  the  baptism  into  the 
death  of  Christ,  it  should  be  evident  to  every  one  that 
John's  baptism  could  not  in  any  wise  have  represented 
this.  If  Christ's  own  disciples  could  not,  even  after 
many  efforts  by  our  Savior,  l>e  made  to  comprehend  the 
necessity  nor  the  import  of  his  death,  how  could  John 
be  exj)ected  to  comprehend  it  without  that  teaching? 
Only  after  witnessing  it.  and  receiving  subsequent  in- 
struction upon  it,  and  being  enlightened  by  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  could  his  disciples  at  all  realize  it  and 
teach  it  to  others.  Then  wherein  would  be  the  pro- 
priety of  considering  John's  baptism  as  embracing  it? 
Neither  could  he  have  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Grhost,  for  he  himself,  to  maka  a  clear  distinction 


John    Was  Not  in  the  Kingdom.  41 

hohveon  his  dispensation  and  tliat  of  Christ,  testified,  *'I 
indeed  baptize  yon  Avith  water  imto  repentance,  bnt  he 
that  conieth  after  me  is  mightier  tlian  I,  he  shall  bap- 
tize you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.''  If  then 
he  conld  not  have  baptized  in  the  name  of  Christ,  nor  in 
that  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  must  not  have  baptized  in 
an)'  name,  but  simply  Avith  water  unio  repentance,  as 
always  stated.  This  all  proves  his  baptism  to  be  dis- 
tinct from  Christian  baptism,  for  it  could  not  in  any 
sense  represent  Avhat  Christian  baptism  represents. 

Our  Savior  testified  of  John,  that  "Among  them 
that  are  born  of  women,  there  hath  not  risen  a  greater 
tlian  John  the  Baptist,  notwithstanding,  he  that  is  least 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaAcn  is  greater  than  he."  This 
plainly  shows  John's  relation  both  to  the  law  and  to  the 
kingdom;  for  if  he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom,  that  is, 
in  the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  of  Peace,  is 
greater  than  John,  then  surely  John  could  not  have  been 
in  the  kingdom,  and  under  these  blessings.  Another 
reason  why  he  could  not  have  been  under  the  Gospel, 
or  in  the  kingdom,  is  because  the  Gospel  was  yet  un- 
known to  man,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  not  yet 
established.  It  could  not  be  said  that  Christ  established 
his  kingdom,  or  church,  before  he  completed  the  re- 
demption, before  he  "took  the  armor  from  the  strong 
man  armed,"  before  he  burst  the  bars  of  death  and 
achieved  the  victorv  over  death,  hell  and  the  srrave. 
Where  would  the  consistency  in  maintaining  lliat  his 
kingdom,  or  church,  should  begin  with  the  preaching 
of  John  and  be  continued  by  his  own  ministry,  to  be 


42  Mode  of  Baptism. 

manifested  in  its  power  on  the  da}-  of  Pentecost,  as  many 
suppose?  Tlie  Scriptures  testif}-  that  Christ  was  put 
under  the  law  to  fulfil  it,  which  was  effected  only  when 
he  expiated  our  guilt  upon  the  cross,  saying,  "it  is 
finished."  He  obeyed  the  law  in  all  its  spiritual  re- 
quirements by  his  holy  life;  and,  as  ^'Without  the  shed- 
ding of  l)lood  there  is  no  remission  of  sin,"  so  he  offered 
up  his  body  as  the  great  atoning  sacrifice.  His  king- 
dom is  a  spiritual  kingdom  set  up  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people;  and  that  kingdom  could  not  be  established  until 
the  powers  of  darkness  were  subverted,  and  the  faithful 
set  free  from  their  dominion.  The  prophet  Isaiah 
(chap.  28:16)  writes,  "I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation, 
a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner  stone,  a  sure 
foundation."  That  stone  was  Christ,  but  he  was  not 
that  "tried  stone"  until  his  work  was  finished,  his  re- 
demption wrouglit.  Nor  until  then  could  he  be  that 
"sure  foundation,"  nor  that  "stone  which  became  the 
head  of  the  corner."  This  is  all  figurative,  as  is  also 
the  reference  of  Paul  and  Peter  to  Christ  as  the  "chief 
corner  stone,"  upon  which  the  church  was  to  be  estab- 
lished. But,  to  be  a  true  figure,  Christ's  ministry  and 
atonement  must  precede  the  building  of  the  church. 

John  comprehended  comparatively  little  even  of 
what  he  spoke  concerning  Christ,  and  as  little  or  less 
of  his  kingdom;  and  liow  could  he  have  taught  the  doc^ 
trine  of  that  kingdom.  He  understood  as  little  of  his 
own  words  when  he  said,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God' 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  and  also,  "he 
shall  baptize  you  wit^h  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire," 


All  Preliminary    Work.  43 

as  did  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  the  aged  Simeon 
when  they  spoke  of  him  prophetically.  If  Christ's 
own  disciples  under  his  personal,  daily  teaching  attain- 
ed to  no  definite  knowledge  of  their  Master,  nor  of  his 
kingdom,  what  ground  have  we  for  expecting  more  of 
John  than  of  them?  After  witnessing  the  divine  attes- 
tation of  the  Messiahship  of  Christ  at  his  baptism,  and 
having  knowledge  of  his  miraculous  powers  and  deeds 
of  mercy.  John  must  send  from  the  prison  by  his  dis- 
ciples to  inquire  personally  of  Jesus,  "Art  thou  he  that 
should  come;  or  look  we  for  another?"  If  he  had  so 
little  certain  knowdedge  of  the  Savior  and  of  his  mission, 
how  could  it  be  said  that  he  taught  the  same  doctrine 
with  Christ,  and  baptized  with  the  same  baptism? 

There  is  but  one  satisfactory  way  to  account  for  the 
baptism  of  John,  and  also  that  by  the  disciples  of  Christ, 
whom  he  sent  out  to  preach  and  heal,  and  that  is  that 
they  all  stood  upon  a  common  plane.  The  work  was  all 
preliminary,  and  was  designed  to  prepare  a  people  for 
the  Lord.  They  made  one  common  appeal  to  all  every- 
W'here  to  repent,  and  baptized  unto  repentance  all  who 
accepted  their  word.  If  the  preaching  of  Christ's  dis- 
ciples during  his  ministry  was  under  the  new  or  gospel 
dispensation,  why  were  they  not  qualified  to  preach  after 
the  resurrection,  and  after  much  personal  teaching  by 
our  Savior  during  the  forty  days,  about  "the  things  per- 
taining to  the  kingdom  of  God?"  They  were  com- 
manded to  tarry  at  Jerusalem  until  indued  with  the 
power  from  on  high,  liefore  they  could j)reach  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom.     It  is  quite  evident  that  this  prelimi- 


44  Mode  of  Baptism. 

nar}'  work  by  John  and  tlie  disciples  of  Christ  could  not 
have  saved  a  single  soul  unless  supplemented  by  the 
great  redemption  wrought  by  Christ.  Hence  we  see  the 
great  inconsistency  of  calling  John's  baptism  Christian 
baptism,  and  of  using  it  to  establish  a  mode  of  Chris- 
tian l)aptism,  or  to  prove  that  ])aptism  should  be  ad* 
ministered  in  the  water. 

Christian  baptism  was  first  administered  upon  the 
day  of  Pentecost.  Until  then  no  one  could  be  consist- 
ently baptized  in  tlio  names  of  tlie  Trlniiy ;  for  before 
Unit  lime,  the  Holy  Ohost  was  not  given  as  an  abiding, 
regenerating  principle.  Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  "I 
Avill  ]u'ay  the  Father,  and  he  slinll  give  you  another 
Comforter,  that  he  may  abid<^  with  you  forever;  even 
the  sjjiril,  of  truth;  for  lie  dwdlet'li  with  you,  and  shall 
he  in  yon."  (John  14:10,17.)  "Christ  was  not  yet 
glorified,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  urns  not  yet  given/'  (John 
7:39.)  From  these  scriptures  and  others,  it  is  plain 
that  no  one  under  the  law  possessed  the  fulness  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  not  even  the  disciples  before  the  appoint- 
ed time.  Through  the  powerful  preaching  upon  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  apostles  were  indued  with 
power  from  on  high,  many  persons  were  convicted  of 
Ihe  great  sin  they  were  guilty  of  in  crucifying  the  Lord 
Jesus  and  said,  "Men  and  brethren  what  shall  we  do?" 
T'eter  replied,  ''T«e[)eni  and  be  l)aptized  every  one  of  you 
in  ihe  name  of  Jesus  Clirist  for  the  remission, of  sins, 
and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then 
they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were  baptized;  and 
the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them  about  three 


Baptists  Disagree  as  to  Mode.  45 

thoiiRand  souls."  (Acts  2:38-40.)  We  have  no  cir- 
cunistantial  evjdeiico  tliat  these  Avere  ba])tized  by  im- 
inorsioii.  It  is  certainly  very  doiihl  f ul  if  they  were, 
\\'(  will  not  argue  tlial  the  time  woukl  have  been  too 
short,  and  tlie  nninlHM'  of  bapti/ers  too  few  to  immerse 
so  many  persons.  If  our  Baptist  friends  are  right  that 
innuersion  alone  is  baptism,  then  it  could  have  been, 
and  was  accomph'shed ;  for  the  Lord  always  provides 
ways  and  means  for  tlie  jierformance  of  his  will.  But 
it  should  impress  every  reflecting  iriind  tliat  the  posi- 
tJon  of  those  who  maintain  that  there  is  no  mode  of 
baptisui  but  immersion,  is  a  very  responsible  one.  Jf 
they  are  su|>|)r)rted  by  tlie  word  of  God,  the\'  are  on  safe 
ground  ;  but  if  not,  they  will  have  to  give  account  at  the 
day  of  judgment  for  having  added  to  the  Lord's  revealed 
will. 

ft  is  noteworthy  that  among  those  who  maintain 
that  immersion  alone  is  ba|)tis]ii.  there  is  a  great  lack  of 
unity  as  to  the  maimer  of  administration.  There  have 
been  warm  and  an iuui ted  controversies  between  the  trine 
and  the  single  immersionists;  and  if  those  debaters  who 
liave  been  put  upon  record  are  sincere,  then  one  rejects 
the  baptism  of  the  other,  although  both  parties  im- 
merse. One  tires  of  reading  the  controversy,  it  is  so 
void  of  spirituality.  Then,  again,  there  is  another  class 
of  immersionists  who  contend  earnestly  that  the  right 
way  to  baptize  is  to  immerse  backward,  as  a  forward  ac- 
tion does  not  rei)rcseut  a  burial.  These  divisions  are 
the  legitimate  fruits  of  legalism.  Have  we  not  reason  to 
believe  that  if  the  mode  of  baptism  was  so  important, 


4&  Mode '  of  Baptism. 

as  luany  think  it  is,  tliat  a  nierciful  Heavenly  Father 
would  have  plainly  indicated  that  mode  in  his  Avord? 
Under  the  law,  all  the  ceremonies  were  so  plainly  de- 
scrihed,  and  the  manner  of  attending  to  them  so  speci- 
fically given,  that  there  could  be  no  mistake;  and  if 
tlic  mode  of  baptism  is  so  imi)ortant,  why  are  we  left  in 
doubt  as  to  the  rigid  mode. 

Tlie  duties  pertaining  to  the  Christian  life  are  so 
well  defined  in  the  Gospel,  that  no  sincere  person  can 
mistake  them.  The  lo\e,  the  peace,  and  the  purity  of 
tlie  Christian  life  are  clearly  defined;  and  the  unity, 
the  peace  and  the  purity  of  the  church  are  so  plainly 
taught  and  iJlustrated  under  the  new  dispensation,  that 
no  one  desiring  the  truth  can  fail  to  find  it.  But  as  lO 
outward  forms,  there  is  so  little  written.  For  the  ad- 
ministration of  baptism,  there  is  no  specific  rule  given 
whether  it  shall  be  administered  in  the  house  of  wor- 
ship or  in,  or  at,  a  flowing  stream;  whether  wiili  water 
or  under  the  water:  neither  whether  it  shall  be  at  any 
stated  time.  Also  in  the  observance  of  the  Lora'h  Sup- 
per, neither  tlie  day,  nor  the  time  of  the  day,  nor  tlie 
month  of  the  year  is  named  when  it  shall  be  obp-erved. 
It  is  not  written  whether  communicants  shall  receive 
tire  symbols  of  Christ's  body  and  blood,  standing  or  sit- 
ting; neither  whether  leavened  or  unleavened  bread 
shall  be;  used. ......... 

The  reason  the  ordinances  and   ceremonies  under 
tlie    hiw    were   so   carefully    described   as   to   tnne   and 
place,  as  well  as  to  the  kind  of  service,  and  the  kind  of  ' 
offering  required,,  was  because  they  had  but  the  shadow 


•  Philip  Baptizing  the  Eumich.  ■tT 

nftlicgocKl  tliin-;s  to' come.  Tlioy  nreiigurcfl  and  sym- 
l>olizc'd  the  aionniu'iit.  of  (!hrist.  But,  under  the  gospel 
\vo  liavc  llif  l)<»(ly— (lie  al»i<ling  reality;  wheroCore.  its 
ordinances  represent  in»t  tliat  wliicb  /,s  In  come,  but  tiuit 
which  has  come,  viz.,  Christ  and  his  kingdom.  Thai 
which  is  expressed  by  baptism  and  by  the  conununion  li;is 
previously  been  experienced  by  all  who  are  propej-  per- 
sons to  receive  baptism,  and  to  partake  of  the  ccmmvin- 
ion.  For  this  reason  so  little  importance  is  attached  to 
iorms  and  modes  under  tlie  gospel  disjiensation  ;  and 
that  so  much  is  recorded  in  it  pertaining  to  the  liPe  and 
character  of  believers.  True  worshipers  now  worship 
the  Pather  in  spirit  and  in  truth;  and  to  that  end  they 
must  possess  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

To  resume  the  subject  of  the  mode  of  baptism,  we 
will  refer  to  the  case  of  Philip  and  the  Ethiopian  eunuch 
Tn  that  ease  it  is  to  be  observed  that  both  Philip  and  the 
eunuch  Went  down  into  the  water,  and  came  up  out  of 
the  water.  This  is  the  only  circumstance  recorded  in 
the  Xcw  Testament  where  it  is  stated  that  Christian 
baptism  was  administered  in  the  water.  As  they  were 
journeying,  and  while  Pliilij)  was  preaching  to  the 
eunuch,  they  passed  by  water,  and  the  eunuch  said, 
•'Here  is  water,  what  doth  liinder  me  to  be  baptized?" 
This  last  ciremustanee  is  claimed  as  evidence  that  Phil- 
ip preached  baptism,  and  also  that  a  body  or  streair;  cT 
Avater  is  essential  to  the  administration  of  baptism,  and 
that  Philip  and  tlie  eunuch  1)oth  went  into  the  water, 
as  after  l)a])tism  l)oth  came  up  out  of  the  water.  The 
fact  of  l)otli  liaving  gone  into  the  water  does  not  deter 


48  Mode  of  Baptism.  * 

niino  thr  niorle  ;  for  wr  do  not  know  wliat  depth  of  water 
WHS  tliorc:  and  that  tlicv  caiiic  up  out  of  (lie  water  detei- 
iiiiiK^s  notlnni:'  as  to  tlic  mode,  since  tliov  hoth  did  the 
same.  If  thv  fad  <d'  tlirir  i;oi])g-  inlo  the  water,  and 
coming  up  on  I  of  tlie  water  proves  that  tlic  enimeh 
was  iiiidrr  tlie  water,  it  Avill  also  prove  that  Philip 
was  uiidrr  jlic  water.  Neither  does  tlie  language  of  tlie 
cunucli,  "8ee,  here  is  Avater,"  ])rove  that  Philip  taught 
iiim  the  uecessity  of  heing  l)a])tized  in  a  IkxI}'  of  water, 
or  in  a  stream.  We  are  not  in  position  to  judge  cor- 
rectly <if  their  situation.  It  may  liave  heen  more  con- 
venient for  tliem  to  go  to  the  water  than  to  have  water 
hrought  to  them.  Wo  l<now  nothing  of  the  circum- 
stances except  the  Itrief  record  referred  to;  hut  one  thing 
is  evident,  tliat  we  are  not  warranted  in  concluding  that 
Philip  l)a))tize(l  the  eunuch  l\y  immersion. 

In  Acts  9  :18  an  acconnt  is  given  of  the  ha])tisni  of 
Paid.  Tt  is  very  hrief.  "He  arose  and  was  baptized." 
W(^  can  gather  no  evidence  from  this  language  that  he 
wmit  to  a  stream  of  water  to  he  ba])tized.  He  evidently 
was  weak,  bodily,  for  he  did  not  eat  nor  drink  for  three 
days.  He  may  have  Ijeen  reclining,  and  simply  arose 
from  such  ])osition.  At  least  we  can  infer  nothing  more 
than  that  he  changed  his  position,  or  situation,  and  not 
his  location. .  In  Paul's  relation  of  his  conversion  and 
baptism.  Acts  22:16.  occurs  the  following:  "And  now 
Avhy  tarriest  thou  ?  arise,  and  lie  baptized  and  wash  away 
thy  sins,  calling  npon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Here 
again  occurs  the  word  arise :  bnt  it  is  not  stated  that  he 
Avas  told  to  firisfi  and  go  sonxewhere,     Ananias,  after 


Baptism  of  Saul.  49 

liaving  fully  instructed  Paul,  and  having  assured  him 
of  his  calling  from  the  Lord  to  be  a  chosen  vessel  to 
carry  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  nations,  said 
to  him,  "Why  tarriost  thou?"  as  though  he  would  have 
said.  Brother  Saul,  since  you  have  such  full  proof  of 
God's  gracious  favor  toward  you,  and  of  your  adoption, 
why  delay  to  make  a  public  profession  of  the  same  by 
receiving  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  which  is  a  represen- 
tation of  your  having  been  washed  and  cleansed  from 
your  sins  by  tlie  blood  of  Christ.  In  this  connection  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  water  baptism  is  expres- 
sive of  the  washing  of  regeneration,  or  the  cleansing  of 
a  believer's  soul  from  moral  pollution  by  the  baptism 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  just  as  under  the  law  the  bloody  sac- 
rifices pointed  to  the  death  of  Christ,  while  the  blood  of 
sprinkling  was  expressive  of  the  forgiveness  of  sin  by 
faith  in  his  atoning  sacrifice  upon  the  cross.  The  wash- 
ings, or  purif3dngs,  s3'mbolized  the  efficacy  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  a  purifying  and  cleansing  power.  It  was  in 
ilxls  sense  that  Ananias  addressed  Paul,  saying,  %e 
baptized  and  M^ash  away  thy  sins;"  for  he  certainly  did 
not  mean  that  the  water  used  in  baptism  would  wash 
away  sin.  The  blood  of  Christ  alone  cleanses  from  sin. 
In  the  tenth  chapter  of  Acts,  we  have  an  account 
of  the  conversion  of  Cornelius,  his  kinsmen  and  hia 
friends,  and  of  their  baptism.  After  witnessing  the  ef- 
fect of  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Peter  said, 
*'Can  any  man  forbid  water  that  these  should  not  be 
baptized  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as 
we?     And  lie  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the 


50  Mode  of  Baptism. 

name  of  the  Lord."  'J'Ir'Iv  is  iioiliiug  in  this  couiinna- 
tory  of  immersion.  "Vt'lio  can  forbid  water"  does  not 
convey  tlie  idea  of  going  to  a  stream  of  water,  but  rather 
that  of  having  water  brought  and  applied  to  the  sub- 
jects. 

In  Acts  IG  :13-15.  we  have  an  account  of  the  in- 
struction given  by  Paul  and  Timothy  to  certain  women 
who  resorted  to  a  river  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be 
made,  and  of  Lydia's  conversion ;  also  of  the  baptism  of 
her  and  her  household.  Nothing  is  here  recorded  that 
gives  information  as  to  the  mode.  The  object  of  going 
to  the  river  was  not  for  the  purpose  of  being  baptized. 
It  appears  to  have  been  a  suitable  place  for  retirement 
and  devotion. 

In  the  latter  part  of  tlie  same  chapter  we  have  an 
account  of  the  imprisomnent  of  Paul  and  Silas,  and  of 
the  conversion  and  baptism  of  the  jailor  and  of  his 
household.  The  charge  to  the  jailor  was,  "keep  them 
safely."  "He  thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison  and 
made  their  feet  fast  in  stocks."  At  midnight  Paul  and 
Silas  sang,  and  prayed,  when  an  earthquake  ensued. 
The  doors  were  opened,  and  the  bands  fell  from  the 
prisoners.  The  jailor  sup])osing  that  the  prisoners  had 
all  fled,  was  about  to  take  his  ovm  life,  when  Paul 
called  to  him,  "Do  thyself  no  harm,  we  are  all  here." 
The  jailor  became  so  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  divine 
calling  of  Paul  and  Silas,  and  of  his  unsaved  state,  that 
he  made  haste  to  come  before  them,  and  falling  down 
he  exclaimed,  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  They 
spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  who 


The  Jailor  and  His   FTouse.  51 

were  in  liis  house.  The  same  hour  of  the  night,  the 
jailor  washed  their  stripes,  "and  was  baptized,  he  and 
all  his."  After  his  confession  of  sin  before  Paul  and 
Silas,  he  brought  them  out,  evidently  out  of  the  cell  or 
inner  prison.  After  they  were  brought  out,  they  preach- 
ed; then  followed  the  washing  of  their  stripes  by  the 
jailor ;  and  after  that,  baptism.  Baptists  claim  that  they 
must  have  been  outside  of  the  building,  or  else  there 
would  be  no  meaning  in  the  language,  "And  when  he  had 
brought  them  into  his  house,  he  set  meat  before  them." 
We  do  not  know  how  the  prison  was  arranged,  neither 
the  relation  of  the  jailor's  house  to  the  prison.  Both 
may  have  been  included  under  one  roof,  and  composed 
one  building;  and  yet  the  jailor's  house,  or  apartment, 
may  have  been  separate  from  the  jail  proper.  The 
probability  is  that  Paul  and  Silas  were  brought  out  of 
the  "inner  prison"  into  Mdiich  they  had  been  thrust  the 
previous  evening,  into  the  main  apartment  of  the  jail ; 
and  from  there  went  into  the  jailor's  house.  It  is  not 
said  that  they  left  the  house  that  night,  for  the  next 
morning  they  were  still  prisoners.  Paul,  at  Jerusalem, 
announced  his  Eoman  citizenship  in  advance,  doubtless 
to  escape  bodily  suffering,  which  was  divinely  ordained 
so;  but  he  and  Silas  did  not  resort  to  this  means  at  Phil- 
lippi;  but  were  willing  to  endure  all  things  for  Christ's 
sake,  and  for  the  advancement  of  his  glorious  kingdom ; 
no  doubt  having  evidences  within  themselves  that  it  w,as 
the  Lord's  will ;  as  it  proved  to  l^e  the  means  of  the  con- 
version of  the  jailor  and  his  house.  All  the  circum- 
stances attending  their  conversion  point  strongly  to  the 


52  Mode  of  Baptism. 

conclusion  that  raul  and  Silas  did  not  go  to  a  stream 
of  water  to  baptize  them.  Had  the  jailor  done  so  he 
would  liavc  violated  his  obligation  of  guarding  the  pris- 
oners, and  would  have  incurred  punishment.  Let  us 
not  lose  sight  of  tlic  fact  that  under  the  gospel  the 
quantity  of  water  in  baptism  is  not  stated,  only  the  use 
of  water;  also  that  there  is  but  one  instance  recorded 
whore  Christian  baptism  was  administered  in  the  water, 
Avhereas  there  are  a  number  of  baptisms  recorded  where 
the  circumstances  would  indicate  that  they  were  not  per- 
formed in  the  water. 

In  Numbers  19  :18,  we  have  the  law  for  the  purifi- 
cation of  the  unclean,  "And  a  clean  person  shall  take 
hyssop,  and  dip  it  in  water,  and  sprinkle  it  upon  the 
tent,  and  upon  all  the  vessels,  and  upon  the  persons  that 
were  there,  and  upon  him  that  touched  a  bone,  or  one 
slain,  or  one  dead,  or  a  grave."  Similar  language  is 
found  in  Leviticus  1  i  :6,  7,  with  reference  to  the  cleans- 
ing of  one  who  had  recovered  from  leprosy.  The 
prophet  Ezekiel  referring  to  the  rejection  of  Israel  for 
their  sins,  and  their  restoration  through  mercy,  says, 
"Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  3'e 
sliall  be  clean;  from  all  your  filthiness  and  from  all 
your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you."  To  cleanse  the  Levites, 
Moses  was  commanded  to  "sprinkle  water  of  purifying 
upon  them."  He  was  also  commanded  to  anoint  the 
tabernacle,  and  the  altar  and  all  the  vessels  with  anoint- 
ing oil  to  sanctify  them :  and  to  consecrate  Aaron  and 
his  sons,  he  was  to  take  of  the  anointing  oil  and  of  the 
blood  wliich  was  upon  the  altar,  and  sprinkle  it  upon 


Cleansing   Under   The  Laiv.  53 

Aaron  aud  upon  his  garments,  and  upon  his  sons  and 
upon  their  garments.  These  were  all  most  important 
services,  and  all  l\v  sprinkling  or  by  pouring;  and  they 
all  pointed  to  Him  of  whom  the  prophet  Isaiah,  in 
contemplating  the  exalting  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  of 
its  attendant  blessings,  uses  this  language:  "So  shall 
he  sprinkle  many  nations."  The  varied  legal  ablutions 
with  water  are  called  baptisms  by  Paul  in  Hebrew  6, 
and  are  s3mbolic  of  the  cleansing  of  the  heart  by  faith 
in  Christ,  whether  consisting  in  the  washing  of  the 
entire  body,  or  only  a  part  of  it.  We  have  evidence  that 
the  virtue  is  not  in  the  element,  but  in  the  word  and 
P}»irit  of  the  Lord ;  and  that  cleansing  and  purifying  can 
be  as  well  represented  by  the  application  of  a  small 
quantity  of  water  ,or  any  other  element,  as  by  a  large 
ciuantity. 

Baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  Pourinsr. 

The  spiritual  baptism  was  symbolized  by  the  anoint- 
ing of  the  high  priest  with  oil.  "Behold  how  good  and 
how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in 
unity.  It  is  like  the  precious  ointment  upon  the  head, 
that  ran  down  upon  the  beard,  even  Aaron's  beard;  that 
went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his  garments."  (Ps.  133.) 
The  consecrating  oil  was  a  type  of  the  sanctifying  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  high  priest  was  especially 
a  type  of  Christ;  and  the  anointing  was  a  type  of  the 
Holy  Grhost  descending  upon  Christ,  when  he  received 
the  public  recognition  of  his  Heavenly  Father  in  these 
words :  "This  is  my  beloved  son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."     Since  all  believers  are  members  of  Christ, 


54  Mode  of  Baptism. 

and  have  his  spirit,  they  are  also  anointed  with  the 
same  anointing  wherewith  he  was  anointed.  The  holy  oil 
poured  upon  Aaron's  head  went  down  to  the  skirts  of  his 
garments;  so  likewise  the  Holy  Spirit  came  upon  the 
great  PLgh  Priest,  Jesus  Christ,  and  descended  upon 
every  member  of  his  body. 

The  pouring  upon  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  called  a 
baptism,  (Joel  2  :28,)  "I  will  pour  out  my  spirit  upon 
all  flesh.''  The  apostle  Peter,  upon  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, quoted  the  above  prophecy  from  the  beginning  of 
the  28th  verse  until  near  the  close  of  the  31st.  In  his 
exposition  of  it  he  applied  it  to  what  was  then  trans- 
piring at  Jerusalem.  The  promise  was  fulfilled  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  being  poured  upon  the  apostles  and  disciples ; 
and  by  the  manifestation  of  its  power  in  the  regener- 
ation of  all  who  were  brought  under  its  sanctifying  influ- 
ence. "And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues 
like  as  of  lire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them;  and  they 
were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  Then  was  ac- 
complished the  prediction  of  Jolin  the  Baptist ;  ''He  shall 
baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire."  The 
cloven  tongues,  as  of  fire,  may  be  expressive  of  the 
varied  gifts,  and  of  the  fervor  and  undying  zeal  of  regen- 
erated souls.  Being  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  was  ex- 
pressive of  the  fulness  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  hearts 
of  believers,  as  our  Lord  testified  to  the  Samaritan 
woman,  "It  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up 
into  everlasting  life." 

Advocates  of  immersion  claim  that  those  upon  the 
day  of  Pentecost  were  immersed  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 


Pourhig  Indicated.  55 

since  the  whole  house  was  filled.  It  is  written,  "sud- 
denly there  came  a  sound  from  heaven,  as  of  a  rushing, 
mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were 
sitting."  (Acts  2:2-4.)  It  was  the  sound  that  filled 
the  house;  but  the  apostles  were  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Jesus  Christ  has  made  his  redeemed  ones  kings  and 
priests  unto  God  and  unto  the  Father,  as  foreshadowed 
and  typified  by  the  kings  and  priests  under  the  law  be- 
ing anointed  with  the  holy  oil  poured  upon  their  heads. 
This  anointing  Avas  a  type  of  the  spiritual  baptism  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  poured  upon  believers.  Vouring,  there' 
fore,  is  baptism.  If  the  "pouring  upon,"  and  "falling 
upon"  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  believers  is  called  bap- 
tism, who  then  is  authorized  to  say  that  the  pouring  of 
water  upon  the  head  of  a  believer  is  not  baptism? 

Christ's  suffering  is  called  a  baptism.  His  suffer- 
ing consisted  mainly  in  bearing  the  sins  of  the  world, 
and  being  forsaken  of  God,  of  angels,  and  of  man.  To 
attempt  to  get  a  ground  for  the  mode  of  baptism  from 
Christ's  suffering  is  certainly  going  too  far;  and  to  at- 
tempt to  change  the  wording  of  the  New  Testament  by 
substituting  immerse  for  baptize,  is  unwarranted;  since 
in  some  cases  where  we  now  have  baptize,  immerse  will 
not  make  sense.  For  example  take  the  inquiry  of  our 
Savior  in  answer  to  James  and  John,  Mark  10 :38,  "Can 
ye  *  *  *  i^g  baptized  Avith  the  baptism  that  I  am  bap- 
tized with?"  And  his  reply  in  the  39th  verse,  "and 
with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  withal  shall  ye  be 
baptized."     It   would    not   do    to   substitute,    "Can   ye 


56  Mode  of  Baptism. 

■••  *  *  be  immersed  with  tlie  immersion  that  I  am  im- 
mersed with?"  etc.     - 

I  have  recently  read  an  argument  to  prove  immer- 
sion from  1  Pet.  3  :21,  where  the  apostle  in  speaking  of 
Noah  and  his  famil}^  being  saved  by  water,  calls  it  a 
figure  of  the  baptism  that  now  saves  us.  IsToah  and  his 
family  were  not  immersed  in  the  waters  of  the  flood ; 
they  floated  above  the  water ;  and  how  is  it  possible  to  get 
a  ground  for  immersion  from  the  circumstance  of  float- 
ing upon  the  surface  of  a  body  of  water?  In  the  same 
verse  the  apostle  says,  "Baptism  is  not  the  putting  away 
of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science toward  God  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Baptism  is  an  outw^ard  sign  of  an  inward,  spiritual 
change.  The  answer  of  a  good  conscience  is  the  result 
of  a  consecration  of  the  heart  and  soul  to  God  through 
faith  in  Christ,  and  the  consequent  possession  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

The  advocates  of  immersion  infer  from  the  deluge 
that  the  ark  was  borne  aloft  by  the  water,  which  could 
not  have  occurred  had  there  not  been  a  large  body  of 
water ;  reasoning  upon  the  basis  that  a  birth  cannot  come 
from  a  body  smaller  than  itself,  and  that  the  water  was 
the  saving  means.  But  the  argument  is  faulty,  since 
the  new  birth  does  not  come  through  a  material  object, 
or  agency  but  is  wrought  through  the  energy  and  cre- 
ative power  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  since  a  small  quan- 
tity of  either  blood  or  water  sprinkled  upon  the  thing 
to  be  cleansed  was  sufficient  to  represent  a  real  purifi- 
cation under  the  law,  so  may  not  likewise  a  small  quan- 


Baptism  of  Israel  in    The  Sea.  57 

tit}'  of  water  be  sufficient  to  represent  the  true  import  of 
Christian  baptism  ? 

In  1  Cor.  10  :1,  2,  Paul  writes,  "Moreover  brethren  I 
would  not  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  how  that  all  our 
fathers  Avere  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed  through  the 
sea,  and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and 
in  the  sea."  Some  advocates  of  immersion  suppose  as 
ihe  Israelites  had  a  wall  of  water  on  either  side,  and  a 
cloud  over  their  heads,  they  were  immersed.  How  could 
the  baptism  of  the  Israelites  represent  a  mode  ?  We  have 
no  evidence  that  any  water  came  upon  them,  or  that  their 
bodies  were  touched  by  water;  but  their  enemies  were 
overwhelmed  with  water,  and  so  perished.  But  why  was 
their  passage  through  the  sea  called  a  bajptism  ?  Because 
the  cloud  and  the  sea  were  the  means  of  their  preserva- 
tion and  deliverance  from  the  wrath  of  King  Pharaoh. 
They  w^ere  baptized  unto  Moses,  that  is,  through  their 
miraculous  deliverance  they  were  placed  under  increased 
and  special  obligation  to  ol^ey  Moses,  the  servant  of  the 
Lord,  and  their  deliverer.  We  repeat,  the  reason  why 
their  passage  through  the  sea  was  called  a  baptism  was 
because  the  cloud  and  the  sea  were  the  means  of  saving 
them,  and  placing  them  in  a  new  relation,  that  of  full 
freedom  from  Eg\rptian  bondage,  or  servitude. 

I'he  pillar  of  cloud  stood  betM^een  the  camp  of  the 
Egyptians  and  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  was  a  pillar  of  fire 
to  the  Israelites,  but  was  darkness  to  the  Egyptians. 
The  cloud  determined  the  actions  of  the  Israelites  as 
to  their  journeyings.  When  it  was  taken  up,  they  jour- 
neyed; and  when  it  was  not  taken  up,  they  journeyed 


58  Mode  of  Baptism. 

not.  The  "pillar  of  cloud"  was  as  "the  pillar  of  fire/'  a 
manifestation  of  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  was  the 
same  cloud  that  "covered  the  tent  of  the  congregation" 
at  the  consecration  of  the  tahernacle  (Ex.  40:34);,  and 
the  same  that  "filled  the  house  of  the  Lord"  at  the 
dedication  of  the  temple  (1  Kings,  8:10);  and  must 
not  be  considered  as  a  natiiral  clond  to  complete  the 
figure  of  immersion. 

The  deliverance-  of  the  Israelites  from  the 
wrath  of  Pharoah  and  his  host  has  a  spiritual  significa- 
tion. Egyptian  bondage  represents  the  fallen  race  of 
Adam  under  the  bondage  of  sin.  ]\Ioses,  who  led  them 
out  of  Egyptian  bondage,  represents  Christ,  who  came 
to  deliver  sinners  from  the  bondage  of  sin.  The  cloud 
and  the  sea  may  be  representative  of  the  saving  power 
of  Jesus  Christ  by  his  atoning  sacrifice,  and  b}'^  the  power 
of  his  word  and  spirit.  If  we  use  the  waters  of  the 
flood,  or  the  cloud  and  the  sea,  to  represent  a  form  of 
baptism,  then  we  use  one  figure  to  represent  another 
figure,  which  is  not  the  design  of  figures.  They  are 
intended  to  represent  a  reality.  Being  baptized  unto 
Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea,  may  have  been  a 
figure  of  the  spiritual  baptism  by  which  believers  are 
baptized  into  Christ ;  and  the  perishing  of  the  Egyptians, 
a  figure  of  mortifying  our  carnal  nature. 

The  ablutions  of  the  priests  in  the  laver  of  brass 
placed  near  the  door  of  the  sanctuary  were  expressive  of 
the  sacredness  of  their  service,  and  their  need  of  purifi- 
cation. The  priests  were  washed  at  their  consecration, 
yet  they  were  strictly  commanded  to  wash  their  hands 


Exposition  of  Ro^uans    17.  59 

and  their  feet  every  time  they  offieiated  at  the  altar. 
Tliis  signified  their  liability  to  contraet  defilement;  and 
represents  the  true  laver,  Jesus  Christ,  as  a  merciful 
High  Priest,  who  is  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  in- 
terceding for  the  saints.  The  repeated  ablutions  of  the 
priests  do  not  estal)lish  a  mode  of  baptism,  yet  some  of 
our  friends  maintain  they  do,  and  that  is  why  we  have 
referred  to  it. 

Great  stress  is  laid  upon  the  figurative  language  of 
the  apostle  Paul  as  recorded  in  Romans  6  :o-7.  He  had 
been  unfolding  and  bringing  to  view  the  fulness  and 
freeness  of  the  grace  through  which  redemption  wag  se- 
cured, by  demonstrating  the  wonderful  provision  made 
for  the  salvation  of  sinners;  that,  notwithstanding  the 
prevalence  of  sin  in  the  world,  there  was  grace  offered 
that  would  enable  all  who  would  accept  it,  to  gain  the 
victory  over  sin,  and  attain  to  the  righteousness  which  is 
by  faith.  In  consideration  of  his  representation  of  sal- 
vation by  grace  alone,  he  apprehended  there  would  be 
those  who  would  conclude  that  if  salvation  is  of  entire 
mercy  and  not  dependent  upon  works,  they  had  license 
to  commit  sin.  Therefore,  he  says,  "God  forbid :  How 
shall  we  that  are  dead  to  sin  live  any  longer  therein?'' 
He  proceeds  to  show  what  he  means  by  being  dead 
to  sin,  by  introducing  three  figures.  First,  a  death  and 
burial;  second,  a  planting;  third,  a  crucifixion.  "Know 
ye  not  tliat  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  iiivo  Jesiis 
Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death?"  It  is  doubtful 
whether  the  apostle  had  any  reference  to  water  baptism. 
To  be  baptized  into  Christ  is  a  testimony  to  our  being 


60  Mode  of  Baptism. 

dead  inito  sin,  and  to  the  genuineness  of  onr  faith,  and 
to  onr  obligation  to  walk  in  newness  of  life.  Christ  died 
to  destroy  sin,  and  to  give  power  to  overcome  it.  Since 
he  died  for  ovir  sins,  Ave  must  become  dead  unto  sin,  in 
order  to  be  baptized  int9  his  death.  We  can  be  baptized 
into  Christ  and  into  liis  death  only  by  his  life  giving 
spirit,  which  he  communicates  to  his  children.  "For 
by  one  spirit  we  are  all  l)aptized  into  one  body."  If  the 
apostle  had  reference  to  water  baptism,  it  could  only 
have  been  as  symbolizing  that  liaptism  which  "purges 
thoroughly  the  floor"  (or  heart),  and  "gathers  his 
wheat  into  the  garner"  (or  covenant  of  grace),  and 
"burns  up  the  chaff,"  (consuming  the  corrupt  desires). 
The  spiritual  baptism,  as  a  purifying  Avater,  washes  away 
the  internal  pollutions  of  sin;  and,  as  a  refining  fire, 
consumes  the  dross  of  corrupt  nature.  "Therefore  we 
are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death;"  evidently 
into  a  death  to  sin.  Persons  who  die  and  are  buried 
cease  to  live  the  life  which  they  lived  while  in  the  body; 
and  according  to  the  apostle's  figure  of  burial,  we  learn 
that  having  previously  been  baptized  into  Christ  by 
dying  unto  sin,  we  now,  being  dead  unto  sin,  are  buried 
by  baptism  into  death ;  evidently  into  that  death  which 
we  died,  which  was  a  death  to  sin;  and,  therefore,  we 
are  now  buried  by  baptism  with  Christ  into  death.  That 
is.  yesterday,  today  and  for  all  time;  for  having  died 
imto  sin,  we  bury  it  and  cease  to  live  in  it.  And  all  the 
possible  relation  that  water  baptism  can  have  to  such  a 
change  is  the  representation  of  it.  The  body  that  is  to 
die  and  be  buried  is  our  corrupt  and  sinful  life;  and  no 
mode  of  baptism  can  re23resent  that  death  and  burial. 


Planting  a  Figure  oj  Regeneration.  61 

-F„r  if  we  liavf  boon  planted  together  m  the  like- 
ness of  Ins  death,  we  shall  he  also  in  the  likeness  of  his 
resun-ection."     in  this  figure  the  same  M'ork  of  grace, 
and  the  same  ehange  as  that  in  tlie  first  ilgure,  is  repre- 
sented by  planting.     This  ligure  may  have  been  taken 
from  the  natural  planting  of  seed  in  the  ground.     The 
seed  that  is  planted  perishes,  and  a  new  body  and  life 
is  produced.     "Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the 
ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone ;  bnt,  if  it  die,  it  bring- 
eth- forth  much  fruit."   (John  13:24).     Christ  might 
have  possessed  his  heavenly  glory  without  becoming  in- 
carnate; and  even  after  having  come  in  human  form, 
he  need  not  have  suffered  death  on  his  own  account;  for 
having  been  justified  in  the  spirit,  he  could  have  enjoyed, 
without  us,  the  glory  he  had  with  the  Father  from  the 
beginning ;  but  to  save  us,  he  died  and  was  buried.     He 
died  for  our  sins,  and  arose  for  our  justification.     He 
was   i.ut  to  death  in  the  flesh,  and  quickened  in  the 
spirit,  through  which  he  now  imparts  spiritual  life  unt.o 
us  wlio  believe.     As  a  grain  of  corn  or  wheat  brings  no 
increase  unless  it  be  buried  in  the  ground  where  it  per- 
ishes, and  a  new  body  and  life  is  produced;  so,  likewise, 
must  we  die  to  our  carnal  will,  and  by  faith  receive 
Christ  into  our  hearts;  who,  l)y  his  spirit,  will  beget  in 
us  a  new  life.     When  Christ  died,  he  died  unto  sin  (for 
our  sin)  ;  but  he  now  liveth  to  die  no  more;  so  we  die 
to  all  sin  for  which  he  died.     But  "having  been  planted 
togetlier  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in 
the  likeness  of  his  resurrection;"  that  is,  we  cease  from 
sin  and  live  unto  holiness.     The  figure  of  planting,  or 


63  Mode  of  Baptism. 

of  hoing  plaulod,  is  representative  of  spiritual  union  with 
Clirist,  and  of  obtaining  s]»iritual  life  from  him.  Such 
union  is  attainable  only  by  living  faith,  the  fruits  of 
which  are  separation  from  sin.  The  figure  of  planting  is 
frequent  in  the  Bible.  Trees  are  used  to  represent  per- 
sons. "Like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water." 
(Ps.  1.)  The  representation  is  that  of  spiritual  union 
witli  tlie  Lord  by  faith,  and  of  being  nourished  by  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

"Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with 
liim,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed."  If  we 
are  crucified  with  him,  we  also  should  be  buried  with 
him.  If  any  one  of  the  tliree  figures  is  to  be  under- 
stood literally,  then  this  one  must  also  be  understood. 
Paul  writes.  "I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  T 
lire;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  (Gal.  2:20). 
Here  are  presented  a  death  and  a  life;  and  the  death 
must  precede  the  life.  The  obvious  meaning  is,  a 
death  to  self,  involving  legalism,  unbelief,  and  all  un- 
righteousness ;  and  a  life  in  the  soul,  a  life  that  will 
never  die,  begotten  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  consisting  in  the 
love  of  God.  Who  can  disc-over  a  ground  for  a  mode  of 
l>aptisni  from  the  three  foregoing  figures?  Just  as  the 
apostle  had  no  reference  to  the  natural  body  when  he 
\Tsed  the  figure  of  planting  and  crucifixion;  so  he  had 
no  reference  to  the  burial  of  the  natural  body  in  baptism 
under  'O'ater  when  he  used  the  figure  of  burial.  It  is 
the  carnal  nature  that  is  to  be  buried,  planted,  and  cru- 
cified,  and  not  the  natural  body.  "Hence  we  are  unable 
to  get  a  figure  from  water  baptism  to  represent  planting, 


Altogether  Spiritual  in  Import.  63 

or  crucifyiug.  or  fvcn  for  hiirinl.  Wlion  the  body  is 
naturally  clpad,  it  is  huricd  to  roniiiiii  buried  until  the 
resurrection.  So  also  in  tlic  death  of  the  carnal  will,  or 
mind.  It  sJudI  not  only  I)C  dead  ii])on  s])ecial  occas- 
sions,  but  at  all  times.  8in  shall  not  rule  us,  but  we 
shall  through  the  spirit  crucify  the  flesh  daily  until 
death  ends  the  conflict.  TJic  a|»ostle  says,  "■  Reckon  ye 
3'ourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin."  That  which  is 
dead  should  l)e  put  away  and  buried;  and  iliai  is  the 
burial  to  which  the  apostle  has  reference^  and  not  the 
immersion  of  the  natural  body  in  water. 

The  text,  Col.  3  :13, 13,  will  admit  of  the  same  ex- 
planation as  that  of  IJomans  6.  "Buried  with  him  in 
baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  him  through 
faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  Avho  raised  him  from  the 
dead."'  x\ny  one  reading  with  care  that  which  goes  be- 
fore and  that  which  follows  after,  will  discover  that  the 
apostle  is  writing  of  the  change  necessary  to  become 
an  heir  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  He  first  writes  of 
spiritual  circumcision,  that  "made  w'ithout  hands^  in 
putting  oft*  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh  by  the 
circumcision  of  Christ."  The  same  argument  is  contin- 
xied.  following  the  text  above  quoted.  It  is  apparent 
that  the  apostle  has  lio't  under  consideration  the  mode 
of  baptism.  Water  l)aptisni  can  only  represent  the 
change  the  apostle  is  describing.  A  faithful  servant  of 
the  Lord  defines  water  baptism  thus :  "The  application 
of  water  to  the  l)ody  in  baptism  denotes  washing.  We. 
testify  in  our  ba|)tisiii  of  Inning  l)een  internally  washed, 
and  cleansed  from  our  sins  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 


64  Mode  of  Baptism. 

ai»j)lic(l  to  on  I-  lioarl?  and  conscience  1)y  tlie  Holy  Ghost; 
and,  heJny:  waslied  and  cleansed,  we  are  also  dead  to  sin, 
and  have  bnried  sin;  and  are  now  willing  to  live  to  the 
Lord."  If  move  attention  were  given  to  the  necessary 
tHialifications  for  receiving  baptism,  and  a  fuller  under- 
standing attained  of  the  obligation  under  which  it  places 
the  recipient,  there  would  prol>ab]y  be  less  controversy 
aljoiit  the  mode. 

As  tliere  has  l)een  much  strained  and  unwarranted 
elTort  made  by  some  of  our  Baptist  friends  to  establish 
and  defen(]  immersion,  for  whicli  they  show  such  undue 
veneration ;  and  luning  manifested  more  energy  and 
perseverance  during  late  years  in  their  way,  we  feel  the 
more  constrained  to  make  an  effort  to  turn  the  thoughts 
to  those  things  which  water  baptism  sets  forth,  and  try 
to  help  correct  the  misuse  to  which  the  ordinance  has 
been  subjected.  Although  baptism  is  a  holy  ordinance, 
yet  we  feel  safe  in  asserting  that  it  possesses  no  saving 
virtue,  or  in  other  \vords,  that  it  is  no  direct  means  of 
salvation.  Aside  from  its  initiatory  ofTice,  baptism  is 
only  a  figurative  ordinance,  though  of  great  significance, 
as  are  the  other  ordinances.  All  accept  that  in  the 
eucharist.  the  bit  of  bread  and  the  sip  of  wine  are  not 
what  nuike  it  so  expressive,  and  that  they  are  not  the 
direct  means  of  effecting  that  which  it  is  designed  to  set 
forth.  It  is  a  symbolical,  commemnrative  ordinance,  and 
is  only  expressive  wlicn  ol)served  l)y  those  who  are  spirit- 
ually in  possession  of  the  principles  and  relations  which 
are  so  aptly  represented  in  the  nature  of  the  emblems. 
Tho  Apostle  Prtul  says,  "As  ofteji  as  ye  oat  this  broad, 


True  Import  of  Baptism.  65 

and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he 
come,"  which  fixes  its  commemorative  import ;  and  then 
adds  the  judgment  that  will  pass  upon  an  unworthy  ob-' 
servance  of  it.  Hence  an  unqualified  person,  or  body  of 
worshippers,-  do  not,  and  can  not,  show  forth  the  Lord's 
death  by  partaking  of  the  emblems,  but  are  said  to  be 
guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  So  also  with 
water  baptism ;  it  is  not  how  much  water,  or  in  what  way 
applied,  nor  is  it  in  any  virtue  of  the  water,  but  it  all 
rests  upon  the  qualification  of  the  baptized  as  well  as  of 
the  baptizer,  whether  it  will  represent  the  true  import  of 
baptism  or  whether  it  will  not.  "We  can  all  accept  that 
there  is  no  consistency  in  consecrating  church  furniture 
by  the  use  of  water  in  any  way,  and  just  as  insignificant 
is  the  baptism  of  an  unconverted  person,  or  an  innocent 
child.  Neither  one  would  possess  the  prerequisites,  and 
baptism  upon  such  conditions  effects  nothing  more  in  the 
person  than  it  does  in  the  inanimate  objects;  and  when 
we  would  administer  it  upon  such,  we  but  trifle  with  and 
pervert  the  use  of  one  of  God's  ordinances.  As  the 
Christian  religion  did  not  grow  out  of  the  church,  but 
the  church  out  of  the  Christian  religion,  so  regenera- 
tion is  not  an  effect  of  baptism,  but  baptism  is  that  which 
is  designed  to  testify  to  the  new  life;  but  as  it  can  not 
represent  a  principle  or  condition  before  it  exists,  so  it 
can  not  properly  be  administered  upon  unconverted  per- 
sons. 

We  can  not  accept  the  Baptist  precept,  that  "with- 
out water  baptism  there  is  no  remission  of  sin,"  and  its 
counterpart,  'Vithout  immerson  there  is  no  baptism." 


66  Mode  of  Baptism. 

If  this  proposition  is  true,  then  all  the  unbaptized  must 
be  lost;  but  if  we  can  satisfactorily  show  that  one  indi- 
vidual soul  has  ever  been  saved,  or  attained  to  a  saved 
state,  without  it,  then  the  proposition  is  unscriptural. 
We  have  personal  knowledge  of  awakened,  unbaptized 
souls,  who,  unassisted  by  man,  attained  to  a  degree  of 
spiritual  knowledge  that  evinced  extensive  experience, 
who  could  consistently  be  comforted  by  the  promises  of 
God's  word,  and  whose  attainments  would  do  credit  to 
any  one.  Now  as  we  know  that  remission  of  sin  must 
be  obtained  before  there  can  be  any  spiritual  progress, 
we  must  conclude  that  such  did  realize  the  mercy  of  God 
in  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  And  we  must  repeat, 
that  baptism  can  not  consistently  be  administered  upon 
any  who  have  not  had  such  experience. 

Our  Savior  says,  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized, 
shall  be  saved ;  and  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be 
damned."  We  must  accept  that  to  believe,  in  the  sense 
here  implied,  is  to  attain  to  the  possession  of  the  holy 
unction,  by  faith  in  the  merits  of  Christ's  atonement, 
through  repentance  and  regeneration.  This  virtually  is 
the  baptism  of  the  spirit,  which  we  maintain  is  the  one 
thing  essential  to  salvation.  This  is  attained,  not  by  or- 
dinances, the  moral  life,  or  by  anything  that  Ave  can  do 
of  ourselves  in  the  line  of  good  works,  but  as  the  apostle 
says,  "By  grace  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves, 
it  is  the  gift  of  God."  Then  for  any  to  assert,  that 
"without  baptism  there  is  no  remission  of  sin,"  is  to 
pervert  the  order  of  God,  and  to  oppose  the  plain  tcsti' 
mony  and  records  of  the  New  Testament. 


The    Thief  Upon    The   Cross.  67 

It  is  recorded  that  Cornelius  and  all  who  heard  the 
word  with  him,  received  the  Holy  Spirit  before  Peter 
commanded  them  to  be  baptized ;  and,  as  has  been  said, 
remission  of  sin  must  precede  the  receiving  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  so  their  sins  must  have  been  remitted  before  they 
were  baptized.  We  have  no  proof  of  the  thief  on  the 
cross  having  been  baptized,  yet  our  Savior  comforted  him 
with  these  words:  "To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in 
paradise."  Some  who  attach  so  much  importance  to 
water  baptism  say  that  this  occurred  in  the  day  of 
miracles,  and  our  Savior  being  the  testator  could  exer- 
cise authority  according  to  his  wisdom  and  mercy;  but 
now  salvation  must  be  attained  by  the  means  appointed 
in  his  Gospel,  which  are  repentance,  baptism  and  regen- 
eration. We  would  ask  these,  could  God  be  "just,  and 
the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus,"  if  he  then 
accepted  even  one  soul  upon  fairer  terms  than  he  will 
accept  us  now?  Or  will  the  immutable  word  of  God 
yield  to  accommodate  sinful  man?  There  was  ever  but 
one  w^ay  of  promise,  and  that  was  by  faith  and  obedience. 
We  believe  that  the  thief  through  mercy  attained  to  that 
faith,  as  his  language  testifies,  and  that  he  w^ould  have 
rendered  that  obedience  if  s])ared  in  life;  and  this  is 
what  commended  him  to  his  Savior. 

A  certain  Baptist  waiter  says,  "I  do  not  believe  that 
the  act  of  baptism  cleanses  us  from  sin;  neither  do  I 
believe  that  faith  and  repentance  do ;  but  I  believe  that 
when  we  exercise  the  one  faith  in  the  Father,  and  in  the 
Son,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  baptism  rightly  per- 
formed in  these  names,  there  the  blood  of  Christ  will  be 


68  Mode  of  Baptism. 

applied,  Svhich  clcaiisctli  froni  all  sin.'  Yet  it  is  at- 
tributed to  baptism  because  iMs  is  the  act  that  secures 
the  promise."  Can  this  be  supported  by  the  scriptures? 
Truly  do  men  ^'hcw  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that 
can  hold  no  water."  Is  not  the  sum  of  all  the  promises 
based  upon  faith  and  repentance,  which  if  honestly  and 
sincerely  experienced,  will  lead  to  self-denial  and  a  re- 
newing of  the  mind  ?  What  is  the  support  of  that  faith  ? 
"Christ,  and  him  crucified."  By,  or  through  any  ma- 
terial, or  tangible  means  or  ordinances?  The  apostle 
Paul  answers  in  Titns  3  :5  :  "Not  by  works  of  righteous- 
ness which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renew- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Some  go  so  far  as  to  call 
baptism  the  "washing  of  regeneration,"  to  attach  the 
more  importance  to  it.  Such  do  not  know  the  scrip- 
tures, nor  the  efhcacy  of  the  atonement,  and  do  greatly 
err.  As  regeneration  can  not  be  attained  by  works,  so 
also  can  it  not  be  by  ordinances.  To  say  that  "Baptism 
is  the  act  that  secures  the  promise"  is  to  ground  our 
hope  upon  the  shadow  and  not  upon  the  substance.  We 
can  not  reach  such  conclusions  except  we  follow  a  legal 
mind. 

Would  it  accord  with  the  love  and  mercy  of  the 
Father  to  give  us  a  plan  of  salvation  that  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  even  one  individual  member  of  the  human  fam- 
ily? And  if  there  were  no  remission  of  sin  without 
baptism,  how  many  poor  souls  must  pass  out  of  this  time 
of  grace  without  hope.  It  is  only  the  awakened  sinner 
that  has  the  promise,  but  how  many  of  these  have  not 


The  Promise  is  io   The  Penitent.  69 

the  opportunity  of  baptism.  Will  God  reject  the  awak- 
ened, contrite  sinner,  who  calls  upon  him  from  the 
depth  of  his  penitent  soul,  because  he  may  be  deprived  of 
the  means  of  receiving  water  baptism?  Such  Christ 
promises  to  give  rest. 

There  was  an  account  published  during  our  late 
civil  war  of  a  poor  wounded  soldier  who  lay  on  the  bat- 
tle field  through  the  night  after  the  battle,  and  who  the 
write'?  said  prayed  most  earnestly  to  God  for  mercy  and 
pardon  of  sin,  and  so  loud  that  he  could  be  heard  by  man 
as  well  as  by  the  Lord.  He  confessed  his  sins  and  seem- 
ed to  receive  comfort.  And  why  should  he  not?  We 
do  firmly  believe,  and  we  have  the  support  of  the  scrip- 
tures, that  God  will  hear  and  pardon  every  such  soul, 
whenever  and  wherever  he  thus  seeks  him,  and  that  with- 
out baptism  or  any  other  ordinance. 

It  is  a  practice  too  common  to  be  unobserved,  that 
many  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  notably  those  who 
advocate  that  "without  baptism  there  is  no  remission  of 
sin,"  to  quote  the  language  of  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, "Repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and  not  use  at 
all  his  remarks  upon  the  next  occasion,  as  recorded  in 
the  third  chapter  of  Acts,  "Repent  ye  therefore  and  be 
converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out."  This 
practice  is  well  calculated  to  deceive  those  who  do  not 
search  the  word  of  truth,  and  who  do  not  dig  deep,  but 
are  content  to  accept  the  counsel  of  man.  We  believe 
that  every  such  minister  who  allows  his  partiality  for 


70  Mode  of  Baptism. 

his  own  opinions^  and  prejudices  to  those  of  others  to 
influence  him  to  such  an  extent,  is  chargeable  with  not 
rightly  dividing  the  word,  and  must  give  account  in  that 
great  day.  Every  one- sees  the  contrast  in  the  wording 
of  these  two  Scriptures.  The  first  would  seem  to  make 
baptism  of  equal  importance  with  repentance,  while  the 
latter  gives  us  strong  proof  that  remission  of  sin  does 
not  depend  upon  baptism,  as  no  mention  is  made  of  it. 
But  we  will  ever  encounter  difficulties  when  we  try  to 
make  figures  and  ordinances  embody  that  which  they  can 
but  represent. 

Whenever  we  depart  from  a  blending  or  harmony 
of  the  Scriptures,  that  a  plainer  text  is  brought  to  our 
help  to  define  one  not  so  clear,  and  begin  to  show  a  pref- 
erence for  that  part  which  plainly  supports  our  opinions, 
or  creed,  and  reject  or  neglect  that  which  does  not,  we 
give  the  most  conclusive  evidence  of  not  being  born  of 
the  spirit,  as  we  are  not  in  harmony  with  it  in  the  word. 
When  we  do  these  things  we  give  unmistakable  proof  of 
a  legal  spirit,  and  that  we  are  trying  to  use  the  Scrip- 
tures to  effect  our  selfish  ends.  How  important  that 
we  give  up  everything  of  our  own,  and  accept  Christ 
and  his  Gospel  in  verity  and  true  sincerity. 

Attendance  upon  ordinances,  or  the  discharge  of 
moral  obligations,  when  engaged  in  with  the  view  that 
we  are  made  better  and  holier  through  such  services,  is 
legalism.  Even  the  careful  observance  of  gospel  com- 
mands with  the  idea  that  we  are  acceptable  to  God  be- 
cause of  our  obedience,  is  evidence  of  a  legal  spirit,  and 
leads  under  the  covenant  of  works.     But  all  faithful 


Modes  and  Forms  Not  Specified.  71 

obedience  to  gospel  coniraands  and  ordinances,  in  an  up- 
right soul,  is  a  fruit  of  faith  and  an  expression  of  love. 
In  concluding  the  consideration  of  the  mode  of  bap^ 
tism,  we  will  again  invite  attention  to  the  silence  of 
New  Testament  teaching  relative  to  modes  and  forms. 
It  is  not  stated  at  what  time  of  the  day  or  in  what 
season  of  the  year,  that  the  ordinances  are  to  be  observ- 
ed; or  whether  at  home,  or  in  the  public  assembly; 
whether  sitting,  kneeling,  or  standing;  whether  little 
or  much  water  should  be  used  in  baptism ;  neither  in  the 
Eucharist,  whether  leavened  or  unleavened  bread. 
Though  the  outward  forms  are  not  specifically  described 
in  the  ordinances,  yet  the  things  represented  by  them 
are  of  vital  importance  to  us.  We  do  not  despise  forms 
as  we  recognize  order  as  indispensable,  and  that  there 
can  be  no  order  without  uniformity  of  practice.  But 
what  we  do  object  to  is  the  idolizing  of  forms  and  modes, 
which  is  done  when  we  become  fixed  ujjon  a  mode  with- 
out scripture  ground.  We  ask,  where  is  it  commanded, 
or  where  is  the  example  on  record  to  instruct  us  that 
believers  shall  be  baptized  in  the  water,  and  under  the 
water  ?  The  apostle  Peter  teaches,  "Christ  also  suffered 
for  us,  leaving  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his 
steps ;  who  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again,  when 
he  suffered,  he  threatened  not."  We  shall  follow  Christ 
in  the  regeneration;  become  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature,  and  have  restored  unto  our  souls  the  love  and 
image  of  God.  There  is  no  command  that  we  shall  go 
back  under  the  law  and  be  baptized  in  Jordan,  and  be 
made  disciples  of  John,  whose  baptism,  we  repeat,  was 


72  Afode  of  Baptism. 

not  Christian  baptism,  and  so  did  not  belong  to  the  ordi* 
nances  of  Christ's  church.  If  persons  realized  more 
fully  what  kind  of  life  is  required  of  the  Christian,  they 
would  be  more  solicitous  to  know  themselves,  and  to  be- 
come acquainted  with  Gospel  requirements,  and  less  oc- 
cupied with  forms  and  modes,  and  not  so  much  concern- 
ed about  being  baptized. 


THE  LORD'S  SUPPER, 


"J'rue  believers  have  exer  regarded  the  Holy  Sii^jper 
as  an  ordinance  instituted  by  Christ  for  the  benefit  of 
his  church  and  for  the  honor  and  glory  of.  his  name. 
Hence  it  is  essential  that  those  celebrating  the  ordinance 
are  truly  regenerated  children  of  God.  When  Christ 
instituted  it  "He  took  bread  and  blessed  it,  and  break 
it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  and  said,  Take  eat,  this 
is  my  body  which  is  given  for  you ;"  and  in  like  manner 
he  gave  the  cup,  saying,  "Drink  ye  all  of  it,  for  this  is 
my  blood  of  the  new  testament,  which  is  shed  for  many 
for  the  remission  of  sins."  Luke  and  Paul  add,  "This  do 
in  remembrance  of  me." 

When  God  led  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  he  wrought  for 
them  a  bodily  deliverance  from  the  bondage  of  Pharaoh ; 
and  they  all  understood  the  nature  of  that  bondage,  and 
the  means  by  which  they  gained  their  freedom.  They 
witnessed  the  signs  and  wonders  wrought  in  Egypt,  the 
killing  of  the  lamb,  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  upon  the 
lintels  and  side  posts  of  their  doors,  and  the  roasting 
and  eating  of  the  lamb;  and  they  also  knew  that  God 
slew  the  first  born  in  every  house  of  the  Egyptians  not 
sprinkled  with  blood  and  that  he  passed  over  the  houses 
that  were  sprinkled.  But  they  could  not  comprehend 
the  typical  and  spiritual  import  of  the  Paschal  supper, 
nor  spiritual  significance  of  the  blood  upon  tlieir  doors. 


74  The  Lord's  Supper. 

The  natural  condition  of  Israel  in  bondage  was  fig;- 
nrative  of  the  spiritual  bondage  of  man  by  nature. 
Their  deliverance^  with  the  means  used  to  effect  it,  was 
figurative  of  man's  spiritual  deliverance  from  this  spir- 
itual bondage.  The  Israelites  were  commanded  to  keep 
the  feast  of  the  passover  everj^  year,  on  the  anniversary 
of  their  deliverance,  in  remembrance  of  what  God  had 
done  for  them.  They  were  .to  teach  their  children  and 
their  childrens'  children  the  significance  of  the  celebra- 
tion. It  being  a  literal  ordinance,  their  children, 
though  carnal,  could  comprehend,  aside  from  its  spirit- 
ual import,  and  observe  it  intelligently.  The  Israel- 
ites were  also  commanded  to  circumcise  their  male  child- 
ren. This  circumcision  in  the  flesh  was  a  figure  of  the 
circumcision  of  the  heart,  in  putting  off  the  carnal  or 
fleshly  lusts  in  repentance.  ISTo  uncircumcised  persons 
were  permitted  to  partake  of  the  passover,  for  they 
would  not  have  been  considered  true  Israelites,  and  this 
ordinance  was  designed  for  Israel  only. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  any  Israelites  remained  in 
Egyptian  bondage;  but  if  they  did,  they  could  never 
have  celebrated  the  passover,  for  it  would  have  been 
meaningless  ro  them,  because  they  never  witnessed  or 
experienced  the  things  represented  by  it.  So,  also,  one 
who  has  never  knoAvn  and  felt  the  bondage  of  sin,  and 
deliverance  from  it  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  cannot 
consistently  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  commem- 
oration of  Christ.  The  bread  and  wine  in  the  Lord's 
Supper  are  symbols,  or  a  representation  of  his  body  and 
blood,  l)y  the  partaking  of  which  Clirist's  suffering  and 


Por   True  Believers  Only.  ?6 

(lealli  are  brought  to  remembrance,  which  confirms  the 
faitli.  warms  tlie  affections  and  increases  love.  The 
Lord's  Snpper.  like  the  passover,  has  reference  to  a  de- 
liverance from  bondage;  hut  this  bondage  is  of  a  spirit- 
ual nature.  As  long  as  we  are  carnal  we  can  have  no 
true  concejition  of  spiritual  things,  and  consequently  no 
true  idea  of  the  nature  and  object  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
The  Lord  Jesus  therefore  instituted  it  only  for  the  bene- 
fit of  true  believers,  who  alone  can  partake  of  it  worthily. 
All  who  partake  unworthily  are  guilty  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ,  or  eat  and  drink  condemnation  to  them- 
selves. The  believer  receives  no  virtue  nor  merit,  nor 
righteousness,  by  partaking  of  these  symbols;  but  the 
consideration  of  what  he  is  representing  confirms  his 
faith  and  increases  his  love.  Tn  this  consists  the  benefit 
to  him.  All  virtue,  merit,  or  righteousness  in  the  sight 
of  God,  which  man  can  possibly  obtain,  is  by  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  the  only  benefit  he  can  receive 
froui  the  church  and  its  ordinances  is  to  be  found  in  the 
preservation  and  strengthening  of  his  faith,  and  it  was 
for  this  purpose  that  they  were  instituted.  Christ  know- 
ing our  weakness,  and  how  the  world  and  our  flesh  would 
tend  to  rob  us  of  our  faith,  in  mercy  thus  provided  for 
us. 

Paul  says  in  Cor.  11,  "As  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread, 
and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew  the  Lord's  death  till  he 
come."  The  rendering  of  the  German  would  be,  "Yo 
shall  declare  the  Lord's  death."  Every  pious,  God-fear- 
ing soul,  about  to  observe  this  solemn  ordinance,  is  led  to 
reflect  ujkui  the  time  when  he  was  in  bondage  to  sin,  and 


76  The  Lord's  Supper. 

under  the  wrath  of  God,  and  just  sentence  of  death  un- 
der God's  holy  law.  He  will  recall  how  Jesns,  out  of 
love,  left  the  glory  of  his  Father,  came  into  this  world, 
took  upon  liimself  our  sins,  and  died  in  our  stead  on  the 
tree  of  the  cross.  If  he  has  been  made  partaker  of  these 
benefits,  the  observance  of  this  ordinance  will  tend  to 
revive  and  support  his  faith,  and  quicken  the  motions  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  the  love  of  God  will  be  more 
almndantly  shed  abroad  in  his  heart. 

The  Apostle  Paul  in  1  Cor.  10  says,  "The  cup  of 
blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
blood  of  Christ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ?  For  we  being 
many  are  one  bread,  and  one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partak- 
ers of  that  one  bread."  The  apostle  evidently  does  not 
mean  to  be  understood  that  the  cup  and  the  bread  are 
the  communion,  any  more  than  Christ  desired  to  be  un- 
derstood that  this  bread  and  cup  are  really  his  body  and 
blood.  But  they  represent  the  communion,  and  hence 
the  union,  of  the  body  of  Christ,  that  is,  his  church. 

The  church  m  this  ordinance  represents  that  al- 
though there  are  numy  individuals,  they  constitute  but 
one  body.  They  have  by  one  Spirit  been  baptized  into 
one  body,  and  are  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul.  The 
bread  and  the  wine  were  originally  contained  in  many 
grains  of  wheat,  and  berries  of  grapes;  but  the  wheat 
by  being  ground,  wetted  and  baked,  has  become  one 
body;  and  the  grapes  by  being  crushed  have  united  their 
juice  and  become  one  drink,  or  cup.  So  we  were  origin- 
ally all  carnal,  and  every  one  sought  his  own;  but,  by 


Those    Who  Par  lake   Unworthily.  77 

tlie  graco  of  God,  we  have  been  awakened,  our  hearts 
broken  l>y  the  power  of  God's  law,  and  thereby  brought 
to  see  our  lost  and  destitute  condition.  We  were  thus 
I)r()ught  to  Christ,  tlirough  whose  blood  we  have  redemp- 
tion ;  and  now  lieing  made  free  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  and  clothed  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  who 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  shed  the  love  of  God  abroad  in 
our  hearts,  we  are  made  one  in  Christ.  The  bread  and 
wine  in  the  communion  are,  therefore,  fit  emblems  of 
the  unity  of  the  church,  and  the  oneness  of  its  members 
in  Christ,  their  Jlead. 

Therefore,  when  believers  break  the  bread  and  drink 
the  cup,  they  set  forth  before  the  world,  and  solmenly 
profess  before  God,  that  they  are  partakers  by  faith  of 
the  broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  Christ ;  that  they  are 
in  spiritual  communion  with  the  body  of  Christ,  which 
is  ills  church ;  and  that  they  believe  that  their  brethren 
and  sisters  are  also  partakers  of  the  same  benefits.  Those 
who  cannot  bear  this  testimony,  and  yet  partake  of  the 
sacrament,  are  guilty  of  hypocrisy.  As  those  who,  out 
of  malice,  nailed  the  body  of  Christ  to  the  tree  of  the 
cross,  and  shed  his  blood,  dyed  their  souls  in  a  deeper 
stain  of  guilt  than  ordinary  sinners ;  so  those  who  mock 
him,  and  deride  the  sacrifice  which  he  there  made  by 
impiously  and  presumptuously  partaking  of  those  holy 
emblems  of  his  body  and  blood,  professing  before  God 
and  man  what  they  know  is  not  true,  make  themselves 
equally  guilty  with  those  who  crucified  him.  The  minis- 
ter also  who  administers  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  by  giving  to  his  members  the  bread  and  cup 


78  The  Lord's  Supper. 

sets  fortli  the  same  testinionv,  tliat  he  belieTCS  that  all 
his  iH'ethren  and  sisters  are  in  communion  with  Christ 
and  his  body,  or  church ;  and  in  recognition  of  such  bt- 
liei",  offers  them  the  tol-cens  or  emblems  of  the  broken 
body  of  Christ.  But  if  any  administer  the  communion 
knowing  tbat  lii^-  chnrcli  is  not  in  unity  and  love,  or  that 
any  of  the  menil)ers  violate  the  principles  of  the  gosi'cl, 
he  is  deeply  guilty  before  God  ;  because  he  represents 
that  l)eforo  God  and  man  which  is  not  true,  and  offers 
coin  fort  to  those  whom  he  knows  "have  no  hope  and 
without  God  in  the  world." 

I'he  church  must  ever  urge  upon  all  its  members 
the  duty  of  speaking  to  any  fellow-mendjer,  of  whom 
tliey  know  or  hear  anything  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel,  and  laboring  for  his  correction  according  to 
gospel  teaching,  and  especially  so  preparatory  to  com- 
munion. Hence  in  ]'e;'ognition  of  the  inJi)ortance  of 
union  and  love,  all  ought  .to  be  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  the  church  being  fully  instructed  by  its 
ministry  previous  to  comunuiion  as  to  the  duties  in  com- 
mon of  one  mendier  to  another,  and  as  to  tire  importance 
of  faithfulness  in  the  fulfillment  of  every  duty  and  obli- 
gation; and  that  special  inquiry  be  made  as  to  the 
state  of  the  church  by  ascertaining  each  member's  spir- 
itual exercises :  and  if  any  are  found  not  in  full  fellow- 
ship with  the  churcli.  or  not  having  its  full  confidence, 
such  should  not  participate  until  fally  reconciled  to  all 
the  members. 

The  servitude  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt,  the  means 
used  for  tlieir  deliverance,  the  paschal  lamb,  the  pas- 


Its   Commemorative  Import.  79 

sage  tlirouoh  the  sea,  the  jouruey  through  the  wilder- 
ness, and  the  final  attaining  to  the  land  of  rest  arc  such 
evident  ty[)es  of  bondage  in  sin,  of  the  operation  and 
elTeet  of  the  grace  of  Grod,  of  our  final  deliverance  by 
Christ  our  Passover,  and  of  the  destruction  and  over- 
throw of  Satan  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  of  our  journey 
tlirough  the  wilderness  of  this  world,  and  of  our  final 
arrival  at  that  rest  of  which  Paul  speaks,  Heb.  iv.,  that 
their  aptness  will  not  be  disputed.  As  the  Jews  kept 
their  passover  in  comracmoration  of  their  literal  deliv- 
erance, the  believer  now,  under  the  new  covenant,  keeps 
the  feast  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  commemoration  of  the 
si)i ritual  deliverance  wrought  for  him  through  Christ. 
Wliat  the  ]iassover  represented  naturally  and  typically, 
the  TiOrd's  Supi)er  now  embodies  spiritually  in  its  com- 
memorative  import. 

The  passover  was  given  to  Israel  alone,  and  God  did 
not  require  it  of  any  other  people.  If  others  kept  it, 
the  Lord  did  not  regard  it,  because  they  never  experienc- 
ed that  which  it  signified;  and  the  circumstances  did 
not  exist  with  them,  which  made  it  acceptal)le  to  God. 
The  Jews  were  all  to  be  circumcised  and  their  passover 
was  to  be  kept  by  circumcised  people  only.  Xone  other 
were  to  partake  of  it ;  but  if  they  did  so  partake,  instead 
of  receiving  blessing  of  God,  they  brought  his  displeas- 
ure upon  themselves.  Besides  being  circumcised,  they 
were  also  to  be  sanctified  or  cleansed.  All  persons  who 
had  become  defiled  were  strictly  forbidden  to  partake  of 
the  passover  until  they  offered  such  sacrifices,  and 
performed  such  ceremonies  as  God  had  appointed  for 


80  The  Lord's  Supper. 

their  cleansing.     The  thing  typified  is  here  very  evident. 
Christ  gave  the  supper  only  to  his  disciples,  and  to 
those  who  should  believe  on  him  through  their  word. 
All  such  have  come  to  true  repentance,  been  renewed  in 
Christ,  and  made  free  by  his  blood.     If  any  unconvert- 
ed persons  undertake  to  keep  the  Lord's  Supper  together, 
it  cannot  be  regarded  of  the  Lord,  because  it  is  not  of 
faith.     But  to  true  believers  it  is  commanded,  and  to 
them  it  will  also  be  a  blessing;  but  they  must  exclude 
from  their  supper  all  such  as  have  not,  by  true  repent- 
ance, forsaken  their  former  life  of  sin,  which  is  what 
was  represented  or  ty])ified  by  circumcision.    And  as  even 
the  circumcised  Jews  were  rendered  unfit  to  partake  of 
the  passover  if  they  had  defiled  themselves  by  any  of 
those  things  which  the  Lord  had  said  should  render 
them  unclean,  so  the  believer,  under  the  new  or  spiritual 
covenant,  even  if  he  has  been  converted  and  made  free 
by  the  blood  of  Christ,  cannot  be  admitted  to  the  sup- 
per if  he  has  done  anything  M'hich  prevents  him  repre- 
senting all  that  the  Lord's  Supper  signifies.  The  church 
and  the  ministry  are  interested  in  this,  and  if  they  ad- 
mit an  unconverted  person,  or  one  whose  life  and  con- 
duct are  not  in  keeping  with  Christ's  teaching,  they 
cannot  receive  blessing  of  God,  but  fall  rather  under 
condemnation. 

Some  pastors  teach  their  flocks  that  no  one  is  re- 
sponsible for  the  sins  of  another,  that  each  one  partakes 
for  himself,  and  that  if  the  individual  member  is  faith- 
ful, the  offering  will  be  acceptable  to  God.  Such 
teaching  is  not  in  agreement  with  the  type  in  the  pass- 


lis  Proper   Use  and  Design.  81 

over.  There  all  who  were  imcircumcised  or  unclean, 
were  forbidden  to  eat  the  passover.  ISTeither  does  it 
agree  with  the  teaching  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  who 
so  earnestly  impressed  the  duty  of  a  pure  life,  and  of 
loving  one  another,  and  of  being  in  full  spiritual  fellow- 
ship. But  how  can  such  pastors  reconcile  the  teachings 
of  Christ  with  their  works?  Do  they  not  together  eat 
and  drink  condemnation  to  themselves  when  they  do 
not  better  discern  the  Lord's  body?  Can  they  escape 
the  judgments  of  God  if  they  do  not  raise  the  voice  of 
warning  when  the}''  see  any  one  about  to  profane  the 
Lord's  ordinance  in  this  manner?  God  commanded 
the  Israelites,  Lev.  19,  that  they  should  not  suffer  sin 
upon  their  neighbor,  but  should  in  any  wise  rebuke 
him.  Paul  well  says,  "Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  Jeal- 
ousy?    Are  we  stronger  than  he?" 

The  Lord's  Supper  was  unquestionably  designed  as 
a  means  of  preserving  in  the  soul  of  every  member  that 
divine  life,  without  which  all  religion  is  vain.  li  -.v.^s 
not  designed  to  generate  the  life  in  the  soul  of  those 
who  are  destitute  of  it.  This  can  only  be  accomplished 
by  repentance  and  faitli  in  Jesus  Christ.  In  partaking 
of  the  emblems  of  the  broken  body  and  shed  blood  of 
Christ,  we  show  that  we  are  in  possession  of  this  life; 
and  while  our  souls  contemplate  the  inestimable  gifts 
of  grace  through  the  atonement,  we  are  revived  in  spirit, 
confirmed  in  faith,  and  enjoy  an  increase  of  love.  The 
church  feels  constrained  to  admonish  every  member, 
who  by  his  conduct  has  shown  that  he  is  not  in  possess- 
ion of  this  life,  to  repent  of  his  backsliding,  and  humble 


82  The  Lord's  Supper. 

himself  before  God,  so  that  he  may  again  lift  him  np 
and  set  him  in  heaventy  places  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Further,  we  show  by  partaking  of  this  supper  tliat 
we  are  in  full  communion,  not  only  with  our  risen  Lord, 
but  also  with  our  brethren  and  sisters,  who  partake  with 
us.  If  we  know  that  some  of  the  members  are  not  in 
unity  and  love,  or  that  some  have  given  evidence  that 
they  are  not  in  the  spirit,  we  cannot,  with  a  pure  con- 
science, approach  tlie  Loi'd's  table  with  them.  If  the 
ministry  and  members  know  tliat  unity  does  not  exist 
in  the  church,  or  that  some  among  them  do  not  walk 
worthily,  and  yet  together  observe  the  Supper,  they 
defile  their  consciences,  and  the  Supper  does  not  serve 
the  purpose  for  which  it  was  instituted.  Paul  says, 
1  Cor.  11,  Avhen  he  speaks  of  what  be  heard  of  divisions 
among  them,  that  he  did  not  praise  them;  and  declares 
that  their  coming  together  in  this  way  was  not  for  the 
better,  but  for  the  worse.  He  further  says,  when  they 
come  together  in  tins  way,  it  is  not  to  eat  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

The  church  has  ever  beld  that  tlie  celebration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  is  a  very  weighty  and  important  mat- 
ter, in  partaking  of  which  each  member  is  enjoined,  as 
Paul  says,  to  "'examine  himself,"  and  also  to  "discern  the 
Lord's  body,"  or  church,  so  that  he  does  not  become 
guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  nor  eat  and 
drink  condemnation  to  himself.  Herein  also  the  church 
has  ever  held  that  the  duty  of  the  true  shepherd  and 
pastor  is  a  very  delicate  and  important  one.  There  are 
in  every  flock  such  as  are  of  tender  conscience,  who  are 


Duties  Devolving  on    The  Pastor.  83 

timid  and  fearful  that  they  might  not  he  worthy.     Their 
weaknesses  and  imperfections  seem  to  them  such  as  are 
altogether  unbefitting  a  child  of  God.     Satan  takes  ad- 
vantage of  this,  and  by  temptations  and  discouraging 
thoughts  and  fears  would  deprive  them  of  those  means 
which  God  has  appointed  for  their  edification,  comfort 
and  support.     It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  encourage 
such  by  holding  up  to  their  view  the  fullness  and  free- 
ness  of  the  offer  of  grace  in  Christ  Jesus,  how  he  has 
wrought  for  us  all  the  virtue  and  righteousness  we  can 
desire,  or  that  is  necessary  for  us  to  have,  to  enable  us 
to  stand  in  the  presence  of  God ;  and  that  he  bestows  this 
freely,  because  of  his  love,  which  is  not  changed  on  ac- 
count of  our  weakness  and  imperfections,  but  is  ever- 
lasting.    Though   we   are   weak,   he   is  strong;  though 
we  are  poor,  he  is  rich;  though  we  are  destitute,  he  is 
full  of  all  the  virtue,  merit  and  righteousness,  which  is 
acceptable  and  available  before  God.     Our  very  sense  of 
destitution  only  fits  us  the  better  to  come  to  him  to  re- 
ceive all  of  which  we  have  need.     The  Gospel  is  full  of 
invitation   and   encouragement   to   all   such  timid   and 
weak  souls.  The  Lord  says  by  the  prophet  (Isaiah  35  :4), 
"Say  to  them  that  are  of  a  fearful  heart.  Be  strong, 
fear  not;'""  and  again,  chap.  ^0,  "0  Zion,  that  bringest 
good  tidings,  get  thee  up  into  the  high  mountain;  0 
Jerusalem,  that  bringest  good  tidings,  lift  up  thy  voice 
with  strength;  lift  it  up,  be  not  afraid;  say  unto  the 
cities  of  Judah,  Behold  3'our  God !  Behold  the  Lord  God 
will  come  with  strong  hand,  and  his  arm  shall  rule  for 
him :  behold  his  reward  is  with  him,  and  his  work  before 


84  The  Lord's  Supper. 

him.  He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd :  he  shall 
gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in  his 
bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  are  with  young." 
But  there  may  also  be  members  who  are  not  of  such 
tender  conscience,  whose  conduct  is  not  so  orderly  as 
would  be  desirable.  With  these  it  is  the  pastor's  duty 
to  labor  to  make  them  sensible  of  their  want  of  grace. 
Where  there  is  too  much  looseness  or  carnality  in  the 
walk,  there  must  be  want  of  a  sense  of  sin;  and  here  it 
becomes  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  press  the  pricking  pow- 
er of  the  law;  for  unless  the  law  is  alive  in  the  heart, 
there  will  never  be  any  true  resting  in  Christ.  There 
are  also  cases  of  weakness  of  intellectual  faculties, 
where  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  between  a  froAvard 
spirit  and  a  lack  of  perception,  wherein  it  might  be 
wrong  to  press  them  hardly  for  their  dereliction  or 
error;  but  always  safe  to  wait  and  discern  the  fruits. 
But  in  all  cases  where  there  is  offense  given,  or  apparent 
carnality,  the  duty  is  always  to  reprove  or  instruct,  with 
all  wisdom  and  care ;  and  to  direct  such  to  seek  reconcil- 
iation with  all  who  have  been  grieved  or  offended  by 
them.  To  deal  faithfully  and  impartially  with  all,  and 
to  know  no  one  after  the  flesh,  is  the  highest  duty  of 
all,  but  especially  of  the  pastor.  These  duties  are  so 
very  delicate  and  weighty  that  we  might  well  say  with 
Paul,  "And  who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?"  There- 
fore, if  the  pastor  would  discharge  his  duty  faithfully, 
he  must  ever  lean  on  the  Lord  for  strength,  help,  wis- 
dom and  direction ;  and  whenever  he  forgets  this,  he  will 
surely  depart  far  from  the  true  path  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  pointed  out  to  him,  saying,  "This  is  the  way, 
walk  ye  in  it." 


FEET.WASHING, 


Manjf  persons  object  to  classifying  the  washing  of 
feet  among  the  ordinances  of  the  church.  Their  objec- 
tions can  have  no  force  since  Christ  washed  the  feet  of 
his  disciples,  and  commanded  them  to  wash  one  anoth- 
er's feet.  And  whether  the  supper  which  preceded  the 
washing  of  feet  was  a  special  meal  prepared  for  Christ 
and  his  disciples  previous  to  the  time  for  the  eating  of 
the  Paschal  supper,  or  whether  it  was  the  beginning  of 
that  supper,  is  not  essential  to  the  subject.  Neither  is 
it  important  to  determine  whether  the  expression, 
"Supper  being  ended,^^  means  that  it  was  prepared,  i.  e., 
ready  for  the  eating,  or  whether  the  language  is  synony- 
mous with  supper  being  eaten;  as  some  commentators 
believe  it  was  an  antepast,  or  beginning  of  the  Passover. 
It  is  neither  the  time  nor  the  place  that  gives  validity  to 
gospel  ordinances,  but  the  spirit  in  which  they  are  ob- 
served. 

"He  riseth  from  supper,  and  laid  aside  his  gar- 
ments, and  took  a  towel,  and  girded  himself.  After  that 
he  poureth  water  into  a  basin,  and  began  to  wash  the 
disciples'  feet,  and  to  wipe  them  with  the  towel  wherr- 
with  he  was  girded."  This  aptly  represented  him  as 
laying  aside  his  heavenly  vestments,  assuming  the  form 
of  man,  even  that  of  a  servant.  It  was  in  this  guise 
that  he  endured  ignominy  and  shame,  and  suffered  the 
cruel  death  of  the  cross;  thus  shedding  his  blood  as  an 
atoning  sacrifice,  whereby  mankind  can  be  cleansed  from 
the  guilt  and  pollution  of  sin. 


86  Feet-  Washing. 

It  is  probable  that  Peter  was  the  first  one  of  the 
disciples  to  whom  Christ  came  to  wash  his  feet  "Dost 
thou  wash  my  feet  ?"  was  the  significant  question  asked 
by  Peter.  Christ  replied,  "What  I  do  thou  knowest  not 
now;  but  thou  shalt  know  hereafter."  The  real  import 
of  this  language  was  hidden  from  Peter  at  that  time. 
He  was  unacquainted  with  the  spiritual  change  which 
was  necessary  to  a  comprehension  of  the  spiritual  king- 
dom which  Christ  designed  to  establish  in  the  heart >-  of 
all  his  redeemed  peo])le.  He  was.  to  a  great  extent;,  un- 
acquainted with  himself.  He  did  not  know  how  easily 
he  could  be  betrayed  into  the  commission  of  sin.  But 
his  opposition  increased :  "Thou  shalt  never  wash  my 
feet  !'^  Christ's  reply  was  most  conclusive :  "If  I  wash 
thee  not,  thou  liast  no  part  with  me."  Peter  then  said, 
"iSTot  my  feet  only,  but  also  my  hands  and  my  head." 
The  Lord  replied,  "He  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save 
to  wash  his  feet,  but  is  clean  every  whit :  and  ye  are 
clean,  but  not  all."  At  that  time  the  eleven  were 
clean  through  the  Word.  They  wore  honest  and  upright 
at  heart.  They  walked  in  obedience  to  the  moral  law, 
and  to  Christ's  teaching  as  far  as  they  were  capaljle. 
being  yet  under  the  law.  They  were  prospectively  clean, 
since  they  believed  in  Christ  as  their  Savior,  and  would 
avail  themselves  of  liis  atonement  for  their  cleansing 
from  sin.  Judas  was  not  clean.  His  motive  was  not 
pure,  for  his  heart  was  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Peter's  objection  to  having  his  feet  washed  was  not  from 
want  of  respect  for  his  Master,  nor  from  an  unwilling- 
ness to  ol)cy  him,  but  from  a  dee})  sense  of  the  unfitness 


Does  Not  Apply  to   The  Svmer.  87 

of  the  act.  He  recognized  the  immeasurable  superiority 
of  his  Lord  over  him,  and  therefore  was  positive  in  his 
opposition.  But  when  he  was  informed  that  it  ho  were 
not  waslied  he  would  have  no  part  with  his  Lord,  he 
became  submissive. 

In  the  language,  "He  that  is  washed  needeth  not 
save  to  wash  his  feet,"  we  have  presented  to  us  the 
desig-n  of  feet-washing.  Naturally  when  the  body  has 
been  washed  it  is  considered  clean.  Likewise  the  true 
believer  is  spiritually  washed  when  he  receives  Christ 
for  his  salvation.  All  his  sins  are  pardoned,  and  his 
heart  is  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  relation  is 
fixed  so  long  as  he  remains  in  the  Spirit.  He  is  clean 
every  whit,  yet  by  his  intercourse  with  this  sinful  world 
he  may  contract  defilement,  since  he  is  clothed  with  a 
sinful  body  wherein  dwell  evil  promptings  and  sinful 
desires,  which  are  not  eliminated  by  conversion. 

Washing  only  the  feet  has  in  itself  a  significance 
expressive  of  the  difference  between  the  sins  resulting 
from  this  weakness  of  the  flesh,  and  that  of  which  we 
are  guilty  when  we  live  in  sin,  and  freely  yield  our  mem- 
bers to  its  service.  There  is  nothing  in  the  washing  of 
feet  to  signify  the  washing  of  a  sinner  who  is  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins;  just  as  the  washing  of  our  feet  does 
not  make  our  whole  body  clean.  The  sinner  is  altogeth- 
er defiled  with  sin;  and  when  he  comes  to  Christ  with 
a  truly  penitent  heart,  he  comes  not  as  an  erring  child, 
but  as  a  guilty  rebel  and  sinner;  not  as  having  sinned 
through  weakness,  but  as  having  yielded  his  will  and 
all  tlic  powers  of  his  soul  to  sin;  and  if  he  is  to  be 


88  Feet-  Washing, 

made  free  from  guilt,  must  be  altogether  washed.  This 
is  the  washing  to  which  Christ  had  reference  when  he 
said  to  Peter,  "He  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to 
wash  his  feet." 

Defilement  may  occur  b}^  either  thought,  word,  or 
deed;  and  is  as  unavoidable  as  it  would  be  difficult  for 
us  to  keep  our  feet  from  being  soiled  when  we  tread  the 
earth.  When  sins,  either  of  omission  or  commission 
occur  against  the  wish  and  desire  of  any  one,  they 
are  not  imputed  unto  him  as  sins  unto  death ;  yet  they 
cause  the  upright  soul  much  anxiety,  sorrow  and  deep 
humiliation,  and  would  leave  him  comfortless  were  it 
not  for  the  promise  Christ  gave  of  his  intercession  be- 
fore the  Father  in  heaven.  After  the  work  of  Eedemp- 
tion  Avas  wrought,  Christ  ascended  to  the  right  hand  of 
the  Father,  and  is  seated  upon  his  mediatorial  throne 
making  intercession  for  his  people.  He  is  a  merciful 
High  Priest  who  can  be  touched  with  feelings  of  infirm- 
ity. This  high-priestly  service  is  needful  to  the  salva- 
tion of  his  people,  and  gives  force  to  his  words  to  Peter, 
"If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  me."  Every 
believer  experiences,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  the  in- 
estimable efficacy  of  this  service.  Its  tendency  is  to  '.re- 
ate  love  in  the  heart,  give  peace  to  the  )iiii«(l,  enlighten 
the  understanding,  and  beget  true  spiritual  poverty. 

"He  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash  his 
feet."  As  the  feet  tread  the  earth,  and  are  likely  to  con- 
tract defilement,  they  fitly  represent  the  worldly  nature 
of  man.  They  may  also  very  fittingly  represent  the 
church  upon  the  earth — the  church  militant.     It  alone 


Hoiv  it  Refers  to    The  Mediation.  89 

of  all  Christ's  kingdom  needs  cleansing  from  defilement. 
JSTaturall}'  the  thonglits  wander  away  from  God  and 
incline  to  tlie  things  of  this  world;  h:-n'X  the  de- 
filement and  tlic  need  of  washing.  I'here  can  be  neither 
love  nor  admiration  of  God  begotten  in  a  soul,  nor  a 
proper  conception  of  his  glor}'  and  majesty,  without  a 
full  knowledge  of  sin,  and  a  lively  sensibility  to  it. 
All  sin  is  offensive  to  God,  and  will  separate  from  him  if 
it  is  not  washed  away,  or  its  guilt  expiated.  The  believer 
is  in  Christ,  and  is  continually  being  washed  in  his 
blood,  so  that  "he  is  clean"  by  his  constant  embracing  of 
that  meritorious  sacrifice  whicli  Christ  made.  Not  that 
sin  does  not  defile,  nor  that  wilful  sin  is  not  imputed, 
and  need  not  be  repented  of  and  remitted,  but  sins  of 
weakness  are  satisfied  by  Christ's  mediation.  Christ 
came  to  save  us  from  our  sins,  but  not  to  save  us  in  our 
sins.  To  know  these  things  is  essential  to  true  happi- 
ness, because  without  it  we  can  not  possibly  have  a  full 
and  true  knowledge  of  what  Chiist  has  done,  and  is 
daily  doing  for  us.  Hence  every  believer  highly  appre- 
ciates the  inestimable  blessings  accruing  to  him  through 
the  atonement;  and  recognizes  the  need  of  that  high- 
priestly  service  continually.  It  warms  his  heart  with 
heavenly  love  to  Him  who  ever  liveth  to  make  interces- 
sions. 

"If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have  washed 
your  feet,  ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's  feet;  for 
I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have 
done  to  you."  Feet-washing  was  an  eastern  custom, 
with  which  the  disciples  were  familiar.     Among  friends 


90  Peei-  Washing, 

it  was  expressive  of  a]jpreciation  and  esteem ;  and  it 
was  also  a  service  necessary  to  the  comfort  of  travelers 
who  wore  sandals^  which,  while  protecting  the  feet  from 
tlie  roughness  of  the  roads,  did  not  prevent  their  being 
soiled  from  the  dust  arising  from  the  earth.  It  was 
tlie  duty  of  the  servants  to  wash  the  feet  of  guests  at 
inns,  or  at  any  house  of  entertainment.  It  was  a  menial 
service,  and  on  this  account  we  believe  that  our  Lord 
intended  his  humble  service  of  washing  the  disciples'  feet 
as  a  rebuke  to  them,  since  they  had  a  short  time  beftn'e 
contended  which  of  them  should  be  the  greatest  in  his 
kingdom;  manifesting  a  temper  and  disposition  entirely 
foreign  to  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  he  was  about 
to  establish  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  consisting  of 
"righteousness,  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  A 
sinrit  such  as  characterized  the  disciples  upon  the  oc- 
casion referred  to  would  disqualify  any  one  to  possess 
the  heavenly  kingdom,  and  would  unfit  him  to  enter 
the  kingdom  triumphant  in  heaven.  In  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  upon  earth  there  is  no  high  nor  low  rank.  Here 
all  are  on  an  equality  spiritually  and  socially.  They 
have  the  same  love  and  regard  for  all  their  fellow-be- 
lievers. Ambition  and  lust  for  rank  and  power  can  have 
no  place  among  them.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Savior 
of  mankind,  "'thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God;  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon 
himself  the  form  of  a  servant." 

It  is  proper  to  observe  that  at  the  time  our  Lord 
washed  the  feet  of  his  disciples,  they  were  not  regener- 
ated in  the  true  spiritual  imjiort  of  that  term.     They 


Pull  hnpori  Not   Yd  Known.  01 

were  but  nieasurabh-  enlightened  in  the  Spirit,  and  so 
could  not  know  the  things  of  the  Spirit,  and  consequent- 
ly coidd  not  know  tlic  spiritual  import  of  what  he  did. 
Xeitlier  could  the}  know  the  weakness  and  sinfulness  of 
their  nature,  and  the  need  they  would  have  of  continual 
washing  by  Christ.  They  became  fully  converted,  en- 
lightened and  regenerated  when  the  Holy  Spirit  de- 
scended upon  them  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  became 
an  ever-present  and  indwelling  power.  To  this  notable 
event,  the  great  outpouring  and  illumination  of  the  Spirit 
our  Lord  had  reference,  principally,  when  he  said  to 
Peter,  "What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt 
know  hereafter."  He  had  in  view  the  restoration  to  the 
soul  of  the  lost  image  and  kingdom  when  Peter  and  his 
brethren  would  become  spritual,  and  thereby  attain  to 
a  knowledge  of  self,  and  to  a  spiritual  knowdedge  of  the 
service  their  Lord  instituted.  He  also  designed  by  this 
example  to  impress  upon  their  minds  the  duty  of  broth- 
erly love  and  kindness;  and  that  no  ser\dce  by  which  a 
fellow-believer  can  be  helped,  either  naturally  or  spirit-* 
ually,  shall  be  considered  too  onerous,  though  it  be  at- 
tended with  labor  and  inconvenience;  neither  that  any 
act  of  love  be  neglected  toward  him,  no  matter  how  me- 
nial the  service.  They  should  ever  labor  to  assist  one 
another  in  a  faithful  discharge  of  duty;  and  if  need  be 
remind  one  another  of  any  unedifying  conduct  or  conver- 
sation; thereby  increasing  their  spiritual  sensibilities  and 
perceptions,  by  ^vhich  th.ey  are  made  more  keenly  alive 
to  those  iuii^erfectious  which  uiake  Christ's  washing  such 
a  great  necessity. 


92  Feet-  Washing. 

The  observance  of  feot-washing  is  significant  of  the 
spirit  which  must  a]wa3's  prevail  in  the  church  of  God. 
It  is  eminently  instructive,  and  must  tend  to  impress 
every  faithful  person  with  a  deep  sense  of  duty  toward 
God,  his  fellow-believer,  and  his  own  soul.  It  is  indic- 
ative of  simplicity,  meekness,  humility  and  submission. 
These  are  virtues  of  a  divine  nature;  and  when  we  par- 
ticipate in  its  observance,  we  represent  ourselves  as  being 
of  this  divine  spirit  and  disposition;  and  in  performing 
the  duty  indicated  by  the  ordinance,  that  of  reproving  or 
restoring  the  erring,  to  be  effectual,  these  virtues  must 
prevail  with  both  parties.  If  destitute  of  them,  there  is 
no  fitness  to  administer  reproof  neither  to  receive  it  with 
advantage ;  and  the  spiritual  washing  can  not  be  carried 
out.  And  perhaps  there  is  no  other  duty  enjoined  upon 
us  in  which  we  have  so  much  need  of  taking  heed  to  our- 
selves as  in  reproving  and  receiving  reproof.  Self-love 
is  such  a  subtle  spirit,  and  can  disguise  itself  in  such 
a  delusive  manner,  that  we  have  great  need  of  grace 
and  divine  light  to  be  able  to  perceive  its  influence,  and 
especially  in  ourselves. 

As  Christ  practiced  an  outward  act  demonstrative  of 
a  spiritual  duty,  should  not  we  be  willing  to  do  the  same ; 
and  especially  since  he  has  commanded  it?  Doubtless 
he  could  have  impressed  the  moral  duty  by  word  without 
tlie  symbolic  act  of  washing  feet;  but  in  his  wisdom  and 
love  he  gave  an  example,  and  commanded  his  followers  to 
imitate  it.  We  think  it  derogatory  to  Christ,  and  shows 
some  arrogance  on  our  part  to  suppose  that  we,  without 
tlie  act,  can  now  accomplish  that  desirable  object,  whilst 


Christ   TaugJit  a  Principle  by  Example.         93 

Christ  found  it  necessary  to  accompany  His  words  with 
this  hunihle  service.  Besides,  if  ever  the  pride  and  sel- 
fishness of  man  needed  something  to  make  language  more 
impressive  or  effective  in  rooting  them  out  of  the  heart, 
we  need  it  at  the  present  day.  What  justifiable  or  ten- 
able ground  then  can  any  one  give,  Avho  professes  to  be 
a  follower  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Savior,  for  refusing  to 
obey  his  injunction,  "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  command- 
ments?" Obedience  is  love  in  action.  Obedience  with 
out  love  is  legalism. 

The  observance  of  the  ordinance  is  instructive,  as 
it  reminds  every  believer  of  liis  need  of  the  continual 
washing  from  daily  infirmities  by  the  intercession  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  daily  need  of  the  service  of  love  from 
his  brethren.  The  attitude  in  washing  feet  is  repre- 
sentative of  humility  and  love.  The  putting  off  the  outer 
garment,  the  girding  with  the  apron,  the  bending  pos- 
ture, the  washing  and  drying  of  the  feet,  all  fitly  remind 
us  of  the  humbleness  of  mind,  and  of  the  unfailing  love 
for  tli5  soul  of  an  erring  brother,  that  should  character- 
ize every  child  of  God.  The  submission  on  the  part  of 
him  whose  feet  are  washed  is  expressive  of  a  willingness 
to  be  corre?ted  when  he  strays  from  the  path  of  duty. 

There  is  a  principle  underlying  every  command 
given  in  the  gospel,  which  is  love.  Unless  he  possess  this 
principle,  no  one  can  consistently  keep  the  command- 
ments. So  also  each  ordinance  has  a  spiritual  signifi- 
cation, the  knowledge  of  whicli  is  essential  to  the  right 
and  profitable  observance  of  it.  Hence  the  observance  of 
feet-washing  by  any  people  who  do  not  have  this  knowl- 


94  Feet-  Washing. 

edg-e,  and  wlio  do  not  love  one  nnotlier  willi  a  pure  heart, 
liaviiig  in  view  one  another's  spiritual  welfare,  is  noth- 
ing more  than  legalism. 

"If  ye  know  these  things,  ha})]»y  arc  ye  if  ye  do 
them."  If  the  mendoers  of  the  chnrcli  continue  to  be 
sensil)lc  of  and  true  to  the  ]irinciple  underlying  feet  wash- 
ing, tliey  Avjll  not  fail  to  be  happy.  They  cannot  appre- 
ciate "these  things"  without  Ijeing  sensible  of  them- 
selves— of  their  fallen  nature,  of  their  manifold  failings, 
and  of  their  inability  to  do  anything  good  of  themselves. 
Being  in  possession  of  this  knowledge,  they  look  to 
Jesus  in  faitli  as  their  righteousness,  and  as  their  merci- 
ful High  Priest  and  Intercessor.  They  are  prompted  by 
love  to  serve  each  other  both  in  body  and  in  spirit. 
Through  a  faithful  discharge  of  the  duty  of  love,  tiiey 
have  the  witness  of  a  good  conscience  and  are  happy. 

Ft  is  asserted  that  we  have  no  evidence  that  the 
apostolic  churches  observed  feet-washing.  It  is  true 
there  is  but  one  allusion  made  to  it  in  all  the  epistles,  in 
1  Tim.  5  :10.  It  is  ]irobalde  there  was  no  question  about 
its  observance  in  the  ])rimitive  churches,  since  the 
language  of  the  Savior  is  so  plain.  "If  I  then,  your 
Lord  and  Master  have  washed  your  feet ;  3'e  also  ought 
to  wash  one  another's  feet ;  for  I  have  given  you  an 
example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  yon." 
Luke  alone  enjoins  th(>  Lord's  Supper  as  a  command: 
"This  do  m  remembi-anee  of  me."  In  the  epistles  of  the 
ajjostles  we  find  but  one  reference  to  it,  and  that  in  1 
Cor.  11;  and  if  the  Corinthians  had  not  gotten  into 
disorder,  and  made  a  wrong  use  of  the  ordinance,  it  is 


Its  Design.  05 

not  })r()l)al)l('  that  the  apostle  would  ha\c  written  about 
it.  -For  tlie  same  reason  we  think  it  i)rol)al)k'  tlion;  was 
no  nei^leet  or  misuse  ol'  the  ordinance  oL"  feet-washing 
ir,  the  ajiostolie  ehurelies.  and  therefore  no  reference  is 
made  to  it. 

'Idle  (jueslion  of  connnand  can  not  l>e  fairly  raised. 
'Idle  languago  of  the  Savior  is  too  plain.  ISTeitlier  should 
there  he  an  issue  hetween  sincere  persons  as  to  the  de- 
sign of  tlu»  Savior  in  washing  the  disciples'  feet.  It  is 
s(df-evident  that  he  meant  to  reltuke  their  carnal  aspira- 
tions, their  and)ition  for  }dace  and  power.  He  saw  fit 
to  do  so  hy  the  ])erfornunice  of  a  very  lunuhle  service.  It 
is  c(|ually  evident  that  he  sought  to  represent  his  inter- 
cession for  his  |)eo|)le  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
and  to  impress  his  vlisciples  with  their  need  of  that  ser- 
vi:-e :  and.  furthei'inore.  to  illustrate  the  nature  and  work 
of  Iti-othcrly  love.  Xo  seriously  minded  person  will  fail  to 
disco\er  the  htness  of  the  outwa.rd  service  among  brethren 
to  illustrate  the  humility  and  love  that  must  character- 
ize them  in  their  relation  to  each  other,  which  is  a  man- 
ifestation of  the  fruits  of  obedience  to  the  heaven-horn 
command.  "If  thy  brother  tresjuiss  against  thee,  go  and 
tell  liini  liis  fault,  between  thee  and  him  alone." 

Does  it  not  iinpress  every  one  as  being  a  serious  mat- 
ter to  set  aside  a  plain  command  given  hy  the  Savior  of 
sinners?  Ts  it  not  presum]itious  for  any  to  assume  that 
to  [)oss(^ss  the  ]jrincii)le  underlying  the  letter  of  a  com- 
mand is  the  matter  of  im])ortaiice,  and  wdiere  it  prevails 
the  act  is  not  important,  as  we  can  possess  the  principle 
without  the  act.  as  the  act  does  not  give  ns  the  principle? 


96  Fed-  Washing. 

We  admit  that  feet-wasliing  gives  no  merit  nor  virtue; 
neither  does  the  Lord's  Supper,  nor  haptism.  All  merit 
and  virtue  proceed  from  Christ  alone;  but  the  consider- 
ation of  what  is  represented  b}'  a  faithful  observance  of 
these  ordinances  leads  upright  souls  to  a  close  scrutiny 
of  their  hearts,  whether  they  really  possess  that  wbdch  :s 
rei)resented ;  and  by  the  grace  which  prompts  and  di- 
rects this  scrutiny,  they  will  be  led  to  the  source  whence 
all  virtue  is  derived.  Every  true  believer  will  feel  so 
much  need  of  these  means  of  help  and  safety,  that  he 
will  not  willingly  omit  or  be  deprived  of  any  one  of 
Ihem. 

We  must  again  insist  that  had  it  comported  with 
bis  iiidiuite  wisdom,  the  Savior  could  have  taught  his 
disci [)les  the  })rinci[)le  without  tbc  act;  but  he  did  not 
sec  fit  to  do  so.  That  he  had  design  in  it,  no  one  will 
(piestion;  but  how  are  we  to  determine,  or  have  we  liber- 
ty to  conclude,  that  the  efficacy  of  the  outward  act  has 
ceased  ?  It  is  to  be  feared  by  assuming  to  set  aside  the 
command,  we  undertake  too  much,  even  that  of  being 
the  Lord's  c(ninsellor.  The  way  of  obedience  in  this, 
as  in  all  gospel  teaching,  is  the  \\ay  of  safety;  and  upon 
that  principle  the  child  of  God  can  stand  and  look  calm- 
ly upon  the  devil  with  all  his  rage,  the  world  with  all 
its  allurements,  and  the  iiesh  with  all  its  lusts. 


SALUTATION  OF  THE  KISS 


As  autliority  for  the  practice  of  saluting  one  anoth- 
er with  a  kiss,  we  adduce  the  following  testimony  from 
the  epistolary  writings,  Eoman  1G:1G,  "Salute  one  an- 
other with  a  holy  kiss;'"  1  Cor.  16:20,  "Greet  ye  one 
another  with  a  holy  kiss  ;"2  Cor.  13:12,  "Greet  one 
another  with  a  holy  kiss;"  1  Thcss.  5 :2G.  "Greet  all 
the  brethren  with  a  holy  kiss;"  1  Peter,  5:14,  "Greet 
ye  one  another  with  a  kiss  of  charity." 

Tlie  kiss  as  connnanded  l)y  the  apostles  was  designed 
as  nn  expression  of  spiritual  affection,  and  for  the  pro- 
moiion  of  mutual  love  among  the  helievers.  It  was  no 
donht  used  then  as  now.  hetweon  the  brethren,  and  be- 
tween the  sisters  separately.  Commentators  admit  that 
it  was  praKicod  bv  the  primitive  Christians,  but  some 
of  them  claiu'  that  it  was  afterwarrls  abanrloned.  Tt  is 
however  doiiljffid  whether  the  true  followers  of  Christ 
at  auA'  time  ne<7locted  to  observe  it.  as  they  recoa-nized 
that  "All  Rcrintnre  is  rr^von  by  insiu'ration  of  Gnrl.  and 
i>  i->rnfifablo  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
instruction  in  ri^hteonsness  :"  and  as  the  apostles  tauirht 
it.  thev  wm]ld  feel  to  observe  it.  Tf  it  was  pro.fitable  for 
the  earlv  Christians  to  salute  one  another  with  a  "holy 
kiss,"  why  is  it  not  equally  profitable  now?  Or  if  it 
was  a  duty  in  the  ar.ostolic  age.  why  is  it  not  a  duty 
noAv?  Tt  was  an  emblem  of  unity  and  peace,  and  an 
expression  of  brotherly  loA^e  among  primitive  Christians, 
ant!  it  should  be  that  still.     If  the  same  love  now  exists, 


98  Salutation  of  The  Kiss. 

Avhy  abandon  the  emblem  ?  Is  not  Jesns  Christ  the  same 
now  as  then?  There  is  but  one  answer,  and  that  is, 
"Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday,  today  and  forever," 
and  his  followers  are  the  same  in  life  and  doctrine  as 
they  were  in  the  beginning. 

It  is  stated  by  some  old  authors  that  the  Gentiles 
were  attracted  by  this  expression  of  loVe,  saying  to  one 
another,  "See  how  these  Christians  love  one  another." 
While  it  is  a  very  appropriate  expression  of  divine  love, 
3'et  it  can  not  be  a  "holy  kiss,"  nor  a  "kiss  of  charity," 
where  the  proper  conditions  do  not  exist;  and  like  all 
Christian  duties  and  ordiiiances,  there  is  no  virtue  in 
the  simple  act  itself,  nor  does  it  confer  any  merit  or 
righteousness  upon  those  who  observe  it ;  yet  it  is  a  fruit 
of  obedience  to  apostolic  teaching,  with  those  who  are 
prompted  through  love  ta  use  it.  In  the  scriptures  we 
have  quoted  it  is  called  a  'Tioly  kiss,"  and  also  a  "kiss 
of  chnritij"  This  is  in  the  same  sense  in  whioh  Christ 
taught  his  disciples  that  they  should  be  j^erfect  as  their 
Father  in  heaven  is  perfect;  and  as  the  apostle  taught, 
"FolloAv  peace  with  all  men,  and  I'.oliness  without  which 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  The  Apostle  Paul  calls 
his  brethren  holy.  Holiness  is  attributed  to  God,  and 
conve3^s  the  idea  of  perfection;  but  man  in  his  best 
estate  is  imperfect  and  is  not  in  himself  holy.  But  as 
the  saint  is  in  Christ  he  is  holy,  because  all  of  Christ's 
virtues  are  attributed  to  him ;  and  when  the  saints  greet 
one  anotlier,-  it  is  called  a  holy  kiss,  because  it  is  an 
evidence  that  they  esteem  one  another  holy  in  the  sense 
above  referred  to.     In  the  ixreetins:  between     believers 


JV/iai  it  Expresses.  99 

there  is  an  acknowledgement  that  they  esteem  each 
other  as  being  in  Christ;  as  it  is  an  expression  of  confi- 
dence, sincerity  and  uprightness.  It  is  a  solemn  greet- 
ing, and  tends  to  exercise  the  mJnd  in  such  consider- 
ations as  will  lead  to  Him  who  alone  can  preserve  man 
in  a  state  of  holiness.  If  practiced  where  there  is  a 
want  of  confidence  in  one  another,  it  is  hypocrisy.  It  is 
fittingly  called  a  "holy  kiss"  when  both  persons  are 
living  in  sanctification,  each  striving  to  keep  his  heart 
pure,  and  to  walk  in  love  toward  his  brother. 

Since  the  salutation  is  an  expression  of  loving  one's 
fellow-believer  with  a  pure  heart,  and  implies  the  obli- 
gation of  ever  walking  in  love,  it  is  very  fittingly  called 
a  "kiss  of  charity."  It  is  a  recognition  of  the  debt  of 
love  that  believers  owe  to  one  another  as  expressed  in 
the  scripture,  "Brethren  if  any  man  be  overtaken  in  a 
fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual,  restore  such  an  one  in  the 
spirit  of  meekness;  considering  thyself  lest  thou  also  be 
tempted."  Under  the  infiuence  of  grace,  t'le  saluta- 
tion is  very  serviceable  to  him  who  through  love  salutes 
his  brother.  The  act  reminds  him  of  the  serionsness  of 
what  he  represents,  and  leads  him  to  a  careful  scrutiny 
of  his  motives,  and  of  his-  state  of  heart ;  and  thus  be- 
comes a  means  for  spiritual  growth.  It  is  a  pui)lic  tes- 
timony of  a  willingness  to  confess  Christ,  and  of  a 
recognition  of  one's  fellow-believers.  From  this  brief 
statement  it  will  be  learned  that  the  salutation  of  the 
kiss  among  believers  is  not  based  upon  usage  or  custom, 
but  upon  a  plain  apostolic  command;  and  is  a  fruit  of 
obedience,  and  an  expression  of  brotherly  love. 


MARRIAGE, 


Marriage  is  a  divine  order,  instituted  in  the  garden 
of  Eden,  afterward  sanctioned  and  encouraged  under 
the  Law,  and  directed  and  regulated  under  the  GospeL 
When  God  created  man,  he  said  it  was  not  good  for  him 
to  be  alone.  There  was  nothing  in  Paradise  to  make 
him  unhappy;  but  there  was  something  wanting  to 
make  happiness  complete.  God  created  him  with  affec- 
tions and  sympathies,  but  there  was  no  object  on  which 
to  bestow  them.  When  woman  was  created  and  pre- 
sented to  man,  the  void  in  his  heart  was  filled;  and  he 
received  her  in  a  rapture  of  joy  and  delight,  as  a  being 
who  would  render  his  happiness  complete.  She  was  an 
object  of  such  worth  that  Adam  Avas  moved  to  say,  ^'A 
man  shall  leave  his  father  and  his  mother  and  sb.all 
cleave  unto  his  wife,  and  they  shall  be  one  flesh;"  and 
his  expression,  "This  is  now  bone  of  my  bones,  and  flesh 
of  my  fleoli,"  signifies  the  intimate  relation  existing 
between  man  and  wife,  and  no  language  has  ever  more 
clearly  set  forth  this  relationship. 

Christ  declares  the  union  of  man  and  woman  divine 
by  saying,  "What  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man 
put  asunder."  God  implanted  in  them  such  affection 
and  attachment  as  made  them  necessary  to  each  other 
for  complete  happiness;  and  inasmuch  as  he  blessed 
them,  and  said  they  should  be  fruitful  and  multiply  and 
replenish  the  earth,  it  is  evident  chat  the  expression  of 
Adam  just  quoted  had  reference  to  their  primeval  state, 


Disturbed  by   The  Fall,  101 

and  that  he  looked  upon  this  institution  as  designed  to 
be  perpetuated;  for  he  as  yet  knew  of  no  other  condition 
than  the  blessed  and  happy  one  in  which  they  were. 
The  declaration  of  Adam  remained  true,  even  in  man's 
fallen  state;  for  notwithstanding  all  the  changes  that 
have  taken  place,  men  still  leave  their  fathers  and 
mothers  and  cleave  unto  their  wives. 

The  marriage  relation  was  designed  by  God  to  ren- 
der man  completely  happy;  and  the  end  was  attained, 
because  all  God's  means  must  be  effectual.  So  long  as 
man  was  in  his  primeval  state  he  was  supremely  happy; 
but  when  he  fell,  all  nature  be3ame  changed.  He  was 
rendered  vile,  and  the  marriage  relation  greatly  disturb- 
ed. The  sympathy  and  affection  between  man  and 
woman  continued,  and  the  desire  for  association  and 
companionship  remained;  but  as  the  divine  love  which 
had  existed  in  the  soul  of  man  was  displaced  by  self-love, 
the  happiness  of  the  married  relation  was  marred  in 
proportion  to  the  latitude  given  that  evil  principle. 

The  devil  is  a  destructive  spirit,  and  if  he  had 
power,  would  destroy  the  whole  human  family.  For 
this  purpose  he  infused  the  disturbing  and  destructive 
principle  of  self-love  into  the  heart  of  man,  when  he 
obtained  power  over  him ;  and  by  it  would  have  effected 
his  object,  if  God  had  not  interposed  an  obstacle.  God 
designed  to  restore  man,  and  in  consequence  must  pre- 
serve him  from  destruction;  and  to  this  end  he  impress- 
ed his  law  upon  his  heart.  By  his  Spirit  he  convicted 
him,  and  caused  his  conscience  to  accuse  bim,  when 
he  transgressed  this  law.     But  this  could  not  destroy 


102  Marriage. 

this  self-love,  nor  could  it  restore  the  Spirit  and  love  of 
God  to  the  soul;  therefore,  it  could  not  render  man 
completely  happy,  nor  restore  him  to  the  condition  from 
which  he  had  fallen.  His  comfort  would  depend  upon 
his  obedience  to  the  law,  and  his  happiness  upon  his 
faith  in  the  promised  Redeemer.  To  those  who  sought 
to  obey  this  law,  the  ordinance  of  marriage  was  one  of 
the  greatest  natural  sources  of  enjojTnent;  but  to  those 
who  were  not  willing  to  obey  it,  but  left  the  evil  spirit 
of  self-love  rule,  it  only  too  often  became  a  source  of 
miser}^ 

From  the  fall  of  man  until  the  time  of  God's  choos- 
ing Israel,  and  giving  them  the  law  engraven  on  tables 
of  stone,  with  further  precepts  and  statutes  for  the  reg- 
ulation of  their  conduct  in  life,  we  do  not  find  that  he 
gave  any  directions  in  regard  to  the  relation  existing 
between  husband  and  wife;  yet  there  is  evidence  that 
marriage  was  not  contrary  to  his  ■will,  but  that  he  fre- 
quently countenanced  and  encouraged  it.  And  as  man 
in  the  darkest  ages  of  the  world  regarded  the  sanctity 
of  marriage  more  perhaps  than  that  of  any  other  rela- 
tion of  life,  it  would  seem  that  God  exercised  an  es- 
pecial care  and  protection  over  it.  There  are  instances 
mentioned  in  the  Bible  where  during  this  time  the  mar- 
riage relation  was  particularly  blessed ;  and  there  were  no 
doubt  many  more  which  are  not  mentioned.  Those 
which  are  recorded  concern  persons  who  regarded  the 
law  of  the  Lord,  but  even  amongst  these  we  can  per- 
ceive gross  violations  of  the  principles  which  Christ  in- 
stituted when  he  came  to  restore  all  things. 


The  Marriage  Relation   Under   The  Law,     1C3 

In  giving  the  law  to  Israel  God  did  not  change 
their  spiritual  relation  to  him.  He  only  gave  them 
clearer  perceptions  of  that  whish  he  had  before  im- 
pressed upon  their  minds.  All  the  statutes  and  judg- 
ments contained  in  the  law  could  not  eradicate  self-love 
from  the  heart,  nor  restore  the  lost  Spirit  and  love  of 
God.  The  Lord  gave  to  Israel  commands  and  direc- 
tions in  regard  to  marriage  and  the  duties  of  husbands 
and  wives,  which  greatly  improved  the  existing  state, 
and  modified  many  evils;  but  these  could  not  restore 
marriage  to  its  primitive  purity,  or  its  efficacy  for  hap- 
piness, since  this  was  still  a  part  of  that  age  during 
which  man  was  under  the  hardness  of  heart,  in  which 
God  gave  commands  corresponding  to  their  capacity  to 
fulfill.  This  is  the  ground  upon  which  many  of  the 
commands  were  given  which  are  so  different  from  those 
given  under  the  Gospel.  The  unconverted  cannot  un- 
derstand why  they  should  differ.  Man  naturally  does 
not  comprehend  the  difference  between  the  Old  and  the 
New  Covenant — between  the  legal  and  gospel  dispensa- 
tion. Thus  it  was  with  the  Pharisees.  When  Jesus 
Christ  came  into  the  world,  those  who  believed  on  hira 
received  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  were  able  to  discern 
spiritually;  but  the  Pharisees  with  the  rest  who  did  not 
believe,  continued  under  bondage,  and  could  not  discern 
the  spiritual  things  which  he  taught.  So  they  asked 
him  this  tempting  question,  "Is  it  lawful  for 
a  man  to  jDut  away  his  wife  for  every  cause?  And  he 
answered  and  said  unto  them.  Have  ye  not  road  that 
he  which  made  them  at  the  besinninff  made  them  male 


l04  Marriage. 

and  female,  and  said  for  this  cause  shall  a  man  leavfi 
father  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife;  and 
they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh?  Wherefore  they  are  no 
more  twain,  but  one  flesh.  What  therefore  God  hath 
joined  together,  let  not  man  put  asunder.  They  say 
unto  him,  Why  did  Moses  then  command  to  give  a  writ- 
ing of  divorcement,  and  to  put  her  away?  lie  saith 
unto  them,  Closes  because  of  the  hardness  of  your 
hearts,  suffered  you  to  put  away  your  wives:  but  from 
the  beginning  it  was  not  so.  And  I  say  unto  you,  Who- 
soever shall  put  away  his  wife,  except  it  be  for  fornica- 
tion, and  shall  marry  another,  committeth  aduitory; 
and  whoso  marrieth  her  which  is  put  away  doth  com- 
mit adultery.  His  disciples  say  unto  him.  If  the  case 
of  the  man  be  so  with  his  wife,  it  is  not  good  to  mar- 
ry." •  The  Pharisees  evidently  thought  they  coutci  con- 
vict Christ  in  whatever  way  he  would  reply  to  their 
question.  If  he  would  say  it  is  lawful  to  put  her  away, 
they  could  charge  him  with  inconsistency,  as  he  liad 
before  taught  differently  in  his  sermon  on  the  Aro;int. 
If  he  reiterated  what  he  then  taught,  they  would  con- 
vict him  of  contradicting  Moses,  the  servant  of  God; 
but  Infinite  Wisdom  silenced  them. 

When  God  instituted  the  marriage  relation,  there 
could  be  no  desire  for  separation  between  man  and  wifo, 
because  they  were  under  the  influence  and  guidance  of 
the  Divine  Spirit.  But  by  the  fall  man  lost  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  love  of  self  became  the  controlling  pow- 
er. This  being  the  source  of  every  evil  work,  the  mar- 
riage relation  ceased  to  be  one  of  uninterrupted  bar- 


ChrisCs   Teaching  Upon  Marriage.  105 

liiony  and  felicity.  Mankind  generally  would  not  let 
themselves  be  influenced  by  the  law  of  God,  hence  dis- 
cord and  contention  resulted.  Their  hearts  were  har- 
dened through  sin.  and  the  Spirit  was  not  there  to 
soften  them,  that  these  dilRculties  could  be  reconciled; 
therefore  God  gave  permission,  through  Moses,  to  allow 
them  to  separate.  How  fittingly  our  Savior  could  say, 
"Moses,  because  of  ilie  hardness  of  your  hearts,  suffered 
you  to  put  a^\•ay  your  wives;"  and  the  agitation  caused 
in  the  minds  of  his  disciples  by  their  Master  teaching 
against  the  common,  and  no  doubt  much  abused  privil- 
ege of  divorce,  and  their  remark,  "If  the  case  of  a  man 
be  so  with  his  wife,  it  is  not  good  to  marry,"  all  grew 
out  of  the  fact  that  they  too  were  yet  without  the  di- 
vine influence  of  the  spirit,  and  had  no  conception  oi 
its  power.  Hence  knowing  the  discord  and  confusion 
that  often  existed  between  husband  and  wife,  they  con- 
cluded if  this  tie  is  indissoluble,  it  were  better  not  to 
marry  than  run  the  risk  of  being  bound  for  life  to  dwell 
in  discord. 

God  allowed  the  Jews  to  sever  their  marriage  con- 
tracts for  the  same  reason  that  he  allowed  them  to  ex- 
act justice,  avenge  injiu'ies,  and  wage  wars;  simply 
because  of  their  fallen  condition,  and  the  hardened  state 
of  their  hearts.  But  now  under  the  new  covenant, 
sinse  the  believer  has  received  power  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  overcome  the  deeds  of  the  body,  God  requires  him 
to  subdue  the  evil  tendencies  of  his  nature,  and  instead 
of  exacting  justice,  to  return  good  for  evil,  and  thereby 
manifest  the  divine  nature  of  which  he  has  been  made 


166  Marriage, 

partaker.  For  Christians  to  separate  from  their  wives 
would  be  inconsistent  with  tlie  nature  they  must  possess ; 
neither  would  they  reflect  that  light  to  the  world  which 
they  are  supposed  to  do.  The  declaration  of  Christ 
concerning  the  indissolubility  of  marriage  under  the  gos- 
pel has  reference  to  believers  only.  Unbelievers  are 
under  the  law  as  they  ever  were,  and  gospel  commands 
do  not  apply  to  them.  The  church  has  therefore  never 
objected  to  the  world  exercising  the  right  of  divorce. 
God  gave  it  to  them,  and  never  took  it  from  them. 
Marriage  was  not  made  obligatory  on  any  one  under  the 
law,  hence  it  is  not  a  moral  duty ;  neither  can  it  be  class- 
ed under  the  head  of  natural  necessities,  such  as  eating, 
drinking  or  sleeping.  We  cannot  therefore  better  char- 
acterize it  than  to  call  it  a  carnal  ordinance.  Paul  says, 
'^'Marriage  is  honorable  in  all."  Thus  the  testimony  of 
scripture  is  that  God  approves  it,  and  has  made  it  a 
blessing  and  comfort  to  mankind  in  general.  To  be- 
lievers it  is  a  special  blessing,  as  those  in  that  relation 
may  be  mutual  helps,  both  in  the  natural  and  spiritual 
life. 

But  as  Satan  sought  to  corrupt  all  the  blessings  and 
favors  which  God  bestowed  upon  mankind,  and  to  render 
them  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing;  so  he  sought  to  cor- 
rupt marriage,  and  succeeeded  in  many  instances  in  mak- 
ing the  persons  miserable  instead  of  happy,  because  of 
their  disregard  of  the  Lord.  Under  the  law  there  was 
provision  mrde  through  the  liberty  of  separation,  where- 
by a  god-fearing  man  or  woman  was  protected  from  the 
evil  influences  of  an  ungodly  husband  or  wife,  when 


Effect  of  Diverse  Intermarriages.  lO? 

such  influence  was  destructive  to  his  or  her  godliness. 
Under  the  New  Covenant,  to  protect  his  children  from 
this  evil,  and  for  their  spiritual  advantage,  God  provid- 
ed that  believers  should  not  intermarry  with  unbe- 
lievers. 

We  find  no  written  prohibition  in  the  beginning,  in 
regard  to  believers  and  unbe]ie\ers  intermarrying,  yet  we 
have  many  examples  recorded  of  the  evil  effects  upon 
believers  of  such  marriages.  Of  the  first  age  of  the 
world  we  read,  "That  the  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters 
of  men,  that  they  were  fair ;  and  took  them  wives  of  all 
which  they  chose."  These  "sons  of  God"  were  the  sons 
of  the  believers  of  that  age,  of  the  lineage  of  Seth,  who 
was  born  in  Abel's  stead.  The  "daughters  of  men"  were 
those  of  the  lineage  of  Cain  who  were  not  believers. 
The  evil  influences  of  the  daughters  of  men  on  the  sons 
of  God  is  specially  mentioned  by  the  inspired  writer;  and 
the  effect  was  so  demoralizing  that  God  was  necessitated 
to  destroy  them  from  the  face  of  the  earth  by  a  flood 
of  water. 

Abraham,  who  was  a  believer  especially  faithful 
and  honored  of  God,  was  sensible  of  this  danger.  God 
said  of  him,  "For  I  know  that  he  will  command  his 
children  and  his  household  after  him;  and  they  shall 
keep  the  way  of  the  Lord  to  do  justice  and  judgment." 
Abraham  doubtless  questioned  the  propriety^,  and  was 
apprehensive  of  the  result  of  such  marriages  with  un- 
believers, which  made  him  solicitous  about  his  son  Isaac 
He  therefore  made  his  servant  swear  by  the  Lord,  saying, 
"Thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife  imto  my  son  of  the  daugh- 


108  Marriagi. 

ters  of  the  Canaanites  among  whom  I  dwelL"  God  pros- 
pered the  servant's  effort,  and  Isaa3  was  preserved  from 
the  evil  influence  of  an  unbelieving  alliance.  God's 
regard  for  this  solicitude  of  Abraham,  and  his  blessing 
and  prospering  his  efforts  for  his  son's  good,  is  worthy 
of  every  faithful  believer's  notice;  and  is  full  of  encour- 
agement to  ever}^  one  who  desires  to  walk  in  the  foot- 
steps of  faithful  Abraham. 

Isaac  and  Rebekah  were  also  solicitous  about  their 
sons'  marriages.  It  was  a  grief  to  them  when  Esau  took 
a  wife  of  the  daughters  of  Heth.  Rebekah  said  to 
Isaac,  "I  am  weary  of  my  life  because  of  the  daughters 
of  Heth.  If  Jacob  take  a  wife  of  the  daughters  of  lleth, 
such  as  these  which  are  of  the  daughters  of  the  land, 
what  good  shall  my  life  do  me?"  They  sent  Jacob  away 
to  take  a  wife  from  their  kindred  who  were  not  so  wholly 
sunken  in  idolatry.  This  occurred  before  God  gave  any 
law  or  command,  of  which  we  have  knowledge,  in  rela- 
tion to  marriage ;  and  shows  how,  even  at  that  time,  those 
felt  who  lived  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  enjoyed  his  special 
favor. 

In  the  law  given  afterwards  to  Moses,  Deut.  YIL, 
the  Lord  gives  plain  com.mands  in  regard  to  Israel  in- 
termarrying with  the  idolatrous  nations  around  them. 
He  first  dire3ts  them  to  destroy  the  inhalDitants  of  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  then  says,  '^Neither  shalt  thou 
make  marriages  with  them ;  thy  daughter  thou  shalt  not 
give  to  his  son,  nor  his  daughter  shalt  thou  take  to  thy 
son ;  for  they  will  turn  away  thy  son  from  following  me.'* 
We  have  an  example  of  the  evil  consequences  of  slighting 


Israel  Not  to  Marry  with   Gentiles.  109 

this  command  and  warning  of  God  in  the  case  of  King 
Solomon,  who  had  been  so  highly  endowed  and  favored 
of  God  because  he  preferred  wisdom  to  wealth  and  power, 
who  loved  the  Lord,  and  to  whom  the  Lord  appeared 
twice,  and  who  built  and  consecrated  the  famous  tem- 
ple which  bore  his  name.  It  is  written  that  he  had  his 
heart  turned  away  from  tlie  true  God.  and  was  seduced 
into  idolatry  through  his  love  for  and  intermarriage 
with  many  strange  women  of  the  nations  concerning 
which  the  Lord  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  ''Ye 
shall  not  go  in  unto  them,  neither  shall  they  come  in 
unto  you;  for  surely  they  will  turn  away  your  heart 
after  their  gods."  He  built  high  places  for  all  his  wives' 
gods,  and  he  himself  went  after  Ashtoreth  the  goddess 
of  the  Zidonians,  and  after  ?,Iilcom  the  abomination  of 
the  Ammonites.  Here  we  have  a  sad  commentary  on 
the  stability  of  man — a  fair  example  of  his  sus2eptibil- 
ity  to  evil  influences,  and  especially  in  the  line  we  have 
under  consideration.  The  Lord's  care  for  his  people  is 
manifested  in  these  commands  and  warnings,  and  ex- 
perience proved  the  truth  of  his  declarations.  Then  all 
unbelievers  were  considered  idolaters,  and  they  are  really 
so  still;  and  their  influence  is  as  pernicious  now  as  it 
was  then. 

We  have  already  said  tliat  what  Christ  teaches  in 
regard  to  marriage  is  quite  different  from  what  Moses 
taught.  But  since  ]\toses  taught  by  divine  instruction, 
the  question  might  arise.  Why  did  God  at  one  time 
through  Moses  teach  one  thing,  and  at  another  time, 
under   the   new   dispensation,   teach   differently?     The 


110  Marriage. 

law  and  precepts  which  God  gave  to  Israel  were  un- 
doubtedly the  best  for  them;  and  that  which  Christ  gave 
under  the  gospel  is  the  best  that  could  have  been  given 
to  a  gospel  believer.  This  indicates  a  great  change  to  be 
wrought  in  man  l)y  the  power  of  regeneration  under  the 
gospel,  since  man's  situation  under  the  law  was  such 
that  it  was  necessary  for  God  to  give  a  precept  permit- 
ting him  to  put  away  his  y\\iQ,  while  under  the  gospel  it 
is  such  as  to  forbid  his  doing  so.  The  change  which  is 
effected  by  the  new  birth  enables  l^elievers  to  be  happy 
under  an  indissolul^le  union;  since  it  enables  them 
through  the  Spirit  to  m.ortify  those  evil  tempers  that  are 
antagonistic  to  peace  and  love.  The  law  could  not  give 
this  Spirit  and  divine  love;  therefore  they  could  not  be 
happy  under  an  indissoluble  union. 

The  difference  between  man's  relation  to  God  under 
the  law,  and  under  the  gospel,  and  the  incapacity  of 
those  under  the  lav;  to  fulfill  gospel  duties,  are  apparent 
in  the  difference  in  tlie  language  the  inspired  writers 
use  in  speaking  of  marriage  in  the  Old  Testament,  where 
man  was  under  the  liardness  of  heart,  and  in  the  New 
Testament  where  believers  are  regenerated  and  influ- 
enced by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  expression  of  Adam  in 
Gen.  2,  that  his  wife  was  "l)onc  of  his  bones  and  flesh 
of  his  flesh."  and  that  "a  man  shall  cleave  unto  his  Avife 
and  they  shall  be  one  flesh,"  fittingly  represents  that 
relation  when  man  was  in  his  primitive,  purity,  and  in 
possession  of  the  Spirit  and  love  of  G-od ;  and  as  Christ's 
mission  on  earth  was  to  restore  the  lost  love  and  image 
to  the  soul;  how  could  he  consistently  teach  otherwise 


H'/ry  Indissoluble   Under   The  Gospel.  Ill 

than  in  harmony  with  the  primitive  conditions  in  the 
marriage  relation?  Bnt  from  tlie  fall  of  man  to  the 
coming  of  Christ,  no  similar  idea  concerning  marriage 
is  expressed.  Xeither  is  there  anything  said  of  its  being 
an  indissoluble  union.  In  the  Xew  Testament  this  in- 
timac}'  of  relation  is  used  to  enforce  the  duty  of  one  be- 
liever to  the  other.  Tf  the  condition  that  makes  this 
intimate  relation  possil'le  has  force  under  the  gospel, 
would  it  not  also  have  had  force  under  the  law,  if  the 
same  condition  had  then  existed  ?  But  man  from  the 
time  of  the  transgression  until  the  time  of  his  restor- 
ation in  Christ  M'as  not  aide  to  form  such  a  union  as  the 
gospel  contem])lates  between  two  believers. 

When  God  instituted  the  marriage  covenant  it  was 
designed  to  be  an  abiding  covenant  of  union,  as  there  was 
no  intimation  on  his  j^art  of  its  severance  until  man's 
heart  had  become-  hardened.  In  his  primitive  state  he 
was  capable  of  an  indissoluble  union;  but  the  loss  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  with  the  subsequent  infusion  of  the 
discordant  spirit  of  self-lovp.  incapacitated  him  for  such 
union.  When  man  was  restored  through  Christ,  made 
partaker  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  the  divine  love,  he 
was  re-capacitated  to  form  such  a  union  as  was  institu- 
ted in  the  garden  of  Eden.  Believers. under  the  gospel 
have  by  one  spirit  been  baptized  into  one  body,  and  they 
become  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul.  Plence  when 
Christ  taught  coucerning  the  marriage  relation,  he 
spake  of  it  as  it  was  in  Eden,  and  expressed  an  inti- 
macy of  union  not  known  under  the  law.  Believers 
under  the  law  were  never  brought  into  such  a  relation 


112  Marriage. 

to  one  another,  which  makes  it  very  apparent  why  their 
marriage  relation  was  not  an  indissoluble  one,  as  it  is 
under  the  gospel.  The  marriage  bond  between  believers 
under  the  gospel  cannot  be  severed  unless  their  union 
with  Christ  is  first  severed.  This  union  was  first  form- 
ed, and  so  long  as  it  is  preserved  there  is  obedience  to 
his  word,  and  they  are  guided  by  his  spirit,  and,  as  a 
fruit,  the  outward  or  natural  union  will  be  preserved. 
Christ  says  those  that  love  him  will  keep  his  command- 
ments. Obedience  is  an  efl^ect  of  his  love ;  and  this 
makes  the  union  secure.  Believers  are  joined  together 
by  the  Lord,  but  we  never  read  of  such  a  condition  under 
the  Mosaic  dispensation;  and  although  we  are  assured  by 
Bible  testimony  that  marriages  were  sometimes  by  divine 
appointment,  yet  they  were  not  united  in  that  relation 
in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  gospel  believers  are.- 

It  should  be  evident  to  every  one  that  a  gosnel  be- 
liever cannot  be  joined  in  marriao-e  to  an  imbeliever. 
The  principle  does  not  exist  in  the  unbelieving  on^  wliich 
is  essential  to  suoh  a  union  ds  the  sos^'iel  contemplates. 
Believers  are  joined  in  marriaf!-e  in  the  Lord.  Unbe- 
lievers cannot  be  jomed  in  the  Lord,  because  tl^cv  do  not 
live  in  the  Lord.  The  same  reason  which  God  assigns 
for  forbiddin<?  the  children  of  fsrael  to  take  the  daugh- 
ters of  the  Gentiles  in  marriage,  would  forbid  the  gos- 
pel believer  to  take  an  u.nbclieving  man  or  woman  for  a 
"wedded  companion.  The  knowledge  of  his  o-um  weak- 
ness, and  the  danr^er  of  being  drawn  away  from  the 
Lord  by  such  an  alliance  wonld  forbid  !i:s  e;ltel•^t■;ining 
such  a  desire;  for  he  should  have  evidence  within  liiin^ 


A  Believer  Can  Many  Only  in    The  Lord.      118 

self  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would  not  direcl;  t-)  such  a 
union,  neither  could  the  Lord  join  such  together,  nor 
could  they  be  made  one  flesh  in  an  indissoluble  union. 
The  position  that  a  believer  in  Christ  cannot  be 
united  in  marriage  with  an  unbeliever,  or  one  who  does 
not  live  a  Christian  life,  is  disputed  by  most  professors 
of  religion.     Paul  writes,  1   Cor.  7:39,  that  a  widow 
is  at  liberty  to  marry  whom  she  will,  "only  in  the  Lord," 
that  is,  only  to  a  believer.     Paul's  epistle  was  written 
to  the  church,  and  the  instruction  given  was  for  Chris- 
tians.    If  a  widow  could  have  been  married  "in  the 
Lord"  to  an  unbeliever,  then  those  words  would  have  no 
meaning,  as  she  could  then  not  marry  otherwise  than  in 
the  Lord.     This  must  be  recognized  as  a  positive  and 
binding  command  to  all  believers,  which  the  faithful 
will  ever  regard.     Tn  the  ninth  chapter  of  the  same 
epistle  Paul  alludes  to  some  question  that  had  been  ad- 
dressed to  him,  and  answers  it  by  asking  of  those  who 
examined  him,  "Have  we  not  power  to  lead  about  a  sis- 
ter, a  wife,  as  well  as  other  apostles?"     He  here  appeals 
to  his  liberty,  and  to  a  privilege  which  brethren  and 
apostles  enjoyed,  that  of  leading  about  a  sister,  a  wife. 
If  his  liberty  had  been  to  lead  about  any  woman  he 
might  choose,  he  would  not  have  used  the  word  sister. 
He  recognized  the  liberty  of  "the  other  apostles,  and  the 
brethren  of  the  Lord  and  Cephas,"  but  limited  it  to  a 

sifter. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  all  positive  com- 
mands in  the  gospel,  and  every  ordinance  and  service 
rest  on  some  principle,  which  the  Spirit  impresses  on 


114  Marriage. 

believers.  Hence  we  regard  the  clanger  and  inconveni- 
ence of  marriage  between  a  believer  and  an  unbeliever 
as  serious,  and  a  violation  of  gospel  principles,  which  no 
true  believer  can  regard  lightly.  In  forming  a  mar- 
riage union,  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  guides  and  directs 
all  his  children,  would  incline  their  hearts  to  seek  believ- 
ers for  companions,  that  they  might  be  a  help  and  com- 
fort to  each  other  in  their  spiritual  life  and  duties,  as 
well  as  in  the  natural  affairs  of  life;  and  with  whom 
they  could  hold  spiritual  companionship.  All  true  be- 
lievers regard  their  spiritual  interests  above  any  carnal 
or  worldly  consideration;  and  they  will  naturally  shun 
anything  the  tendency  of  which  is  destructive  to  the  di- 
vine life.  They  naturally  seek  each  other's  society,  and 
shun  whatever  tends  to  weaken  their  love  and  affection 
for  spiritual  exercises.  In  all  their  dealings  and  social 
intercourse  they  show  a  preference  for  believers;  and 
why  not  in  so  important  a  matter  as  the  choice  of  one 
whom  they  would  take  into  so  intimate  a  relation  as  wife 
or  husband. 

The  words  of  the  apostle  are  few  and  plain,  "only 
in  the  Tjord,"  but  agree  fully  with  the  whole  tenor  of  the 
gospel.  N'otwithstanding  the  powerful  and  convincing 
influence  of  the  Spirit  in  a  believer,  still  Satan  through 
the  flesh  is  also  powerful;  and  might  in  some  cases  get 
the  ascendency,  and  prompt  to  a  disregard  of  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Spiht,  were  it  not  for  this  positive  command 
of  the  apostle  clearly  bounding  the  believer's  liberty  in 
marriage.  In  the  same  connection  he  wrote  of  believ- 
ing husbands  having  unbelieving  wives,  and  believing 


IV/ia/  Led  io    The  Apostle's    Teaching.         115 

wives  having  unbelieving  husbands.  He  doubtless  Avrote 
this  to  relieve  the  minds  of  believers  who  were  thus 
situated,  and  might  be  troubled  about  the  lawfulness 
of  their  marriage.  It  is  evident  that  he  does  not  refer 
to  cases  where  believers  married  unbelievers ;  but  to  such 
as  had  married  in  unbelief,  one  of  whom  afterward  be- 
came converted,  whilst  the  other  remained  in  the  carnal 
state.  In  this  case  he  says  the  believing  one  shall  not  seek 
to  be  loosed,  if  the  unbelieving  one  be  pleased  to  continue 
in  the  union.  But  if  the  unbelieving  one  separates  him- 
.  self,  the  believer  is  not  under  bonds.  Nevertheless  the 
believer  is  still  the  husband  or  wife  of  the  other,  unless 
the  other  falls  into  fornication  a  crime  which  the  Savior 
says  gives  liberty  to  dissolve  the  marriage  tie.  In  either 
case  Paul  saj-s  the  believer  shall  remain  unmarried,  or 
be  reconciled  with  the  lawful  husband  or  wife. 

The  question  arising  with  such  persons,  whether  it 
was  lawful  to  live  with  an  unbelieving  wife  or  husband 
goes  far  to  prove  the  position  above  maintained.  If 
they  had  not  regarded  the  marriage  with  an  unbeliever 
unlawful,  they  would  not  have  been  disturbed  by  their 
situation ;  and  tliis  circumstance  is  positive  evidence  that 
they  did  not  regard  such  marriage  allowable.  It  is 
then  very  clear  that  neither  the  spirit  nor  the  letter  of 
the  gospel  gives  liberty  to  a  believer  to  marry  an  un- 
believer ;  and,  if  it  does  not  do  so,  no  one  professing  to 
be  a  believer  can  enter  into  such  a  union  without  falling 
from  grace. 

"With  regard  to  marriage  as  a  carnal  ordinance  or  nat- 
ural covenant,  entered  into  between  a  brother  and  a 


116  Marriage. 

sister  in  Christ,  as  a  mutual  help  and  comfort  to  each 
other,  both  in  the  spiritual  and  natural  life,  we  regard  it 
as  regulated  by  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  gospel,  as 
these  regulate  all  the  duties  of  believers.  The  Scrip- 
tures teach  that  every  man  has  his  proper  gift.  Some 
have  power  over  their  own  will;  and  such  being  consti- 
tuted to  be  contented  and  happy  in  the  unmarried  state 
may  generally  prefer  to  remain  in  that  state;  but  God 
will  care  for  those  who  are  differently  constituted.  But 
no  sincere  believer  will  allow  this  or  any  other  natural 
relation  or  interest  endanger  in  any  way  his  interests 

in  Christ. 

Marriage  is  the  most  weighty  and  important  of  all 
earthly  engagements  into  which  a  person  can  enter. 
Every  sincere  soul  will  be  seriously  exercised  in  contem- 
plation of  it,  and  be  moved  to  entreat  the  Lord  to  guard 
him  from  all  improper  influences,  lest  he  might  be 
swayed  by  carnal  or  selfish  considerations,  and  enter 
into  an  engagement  that  might  be  injurious  to  his 
spiritual  welfare. 

Although  we  do  not  hold  that  God  hath  decreed, 
foreordained,  or  particularly  appointed  every  certain 
man  and  woman,  Avho  marry  in  the  Lord,  to  be  the 
husband  or  wife  of  that  particular  person,  yet  we  believe 
that  such  as  live  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  resignation 
to  his  will,  if  their  affections  and  confidence  are  mutu- 
ally drawn  together,  have  their  union  appointed  and  con- 
simimated  by  Him.  Those  who  marry  in  the  Lord  wBre, 
before  their  espousals  to  one  another,  made  one  in 
Christ  by  regeneration,  and  were  brought  under  those 


spiritual  Relation  Not  Affected  by  Marriage.      117 

obligations  to  each  other  which  the  gospel  prescribes  as 
the  duty  of  believers.  They  were  brother  and  sister  in 
Christ  before  their  marriage;  and  their  entrance  into  the 
marriage  relation  does  not  change  this  previous  relation, 
nor  relieve  them  of  any  duty  or  responsibility  which 
that  relation  prescribes;  but  rather  makes  those  duties 
more  special,  and  offers  new  motives  for  a  faithful  dis- 
charge of  them. 

Paul  wrote,  Eom.  VII,  'Te  should  be  married  to 
another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that 
we  should  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God."  As  this  union 
or  marriage  with  Christ  does  not  only  precede,  but  is 
paramount  to  the  natural  union  of  the  marriage  relation, 
it  is  not  affected  by  the  natural  compact;  and  their 
duty  to  him  being  above  any  duty  they  owe  to  each 
other,  so  long  as  they  remain  faithful  to  Christ  they  will 
not  violate  the  duties  of  the  marriage  relation.  As  the 
love  of  God,  which  is  the  bond  of  union  in  the  first  cove- 
nant or  marriage  with  Christ,  had  joined  the  hearts  of 
the  man  and  woman  in  spiritual  union  before  their  mar- 
riage, so  it  must  be  an  ever-abiding  principle  to  preserve 
them  in  tliat  relation ;  and  their  highest  duty  and  inter- 
*  est  consists  in  their  inviolable  faithfulness  to  God,  and 
to  the  troth  they  have  plighted  to  him. 

Marriage  being  a  natural  relation,  imposes  m^ny 
natural  duties;  and  as  believers  are  not  generally  of  one 
mind  in  these,  and  the  spirit  does  not  make  them  so. 
Divine  Wisdom  has  given  such  directions  in  the  gospel 
to  govern  them,  under  all  circumstances,  that  if  faith- 
ful to  them,  no  strife  nor  disagreement  can  take  place 


1.18  Marriage. 

to  mar  their  happiness.  Both  Paul  and  Peter  command 
believers  to  submit  themselves  to  one  another  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord.  This  applies  to  believers  in  general,  and  so 
includes  the  husband  and  wife,  but  has  reference  to  the 
social  relations;  for  in  the  spiritual  life  the  Spirit  will 
unite  them.  The  younger  are  admonished  to  submit 
to  the  elder,  and  the  members  of  the  church  in  general 
to  those  who  have  the  rule  over  them;  and  all  are  ad- 
monished to  submit  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  the 
Lord's  sake.  The  spirit  of  Christ  is  a  submissive  spir- 
it ;  and  where  all  are  under  its  influence,  this  submission 
is  so  graceful  and  gentle  as  scarcely  to  be  perceived. 
But  as  Satan  is  very  crafty,  and  can  transform  himself 
into  an  angel  of  light,  the  wisdom  of  God  has  graciously 
indicated  where  the  first  duty  of  submission  rests,  the 
younger  to  the  elder,  and  the  church  to -those  who  have 
the  rule  over  it. 

There  is  very  little  said  in  the  gospel  about  special 
duties  between  husband  and  wife.  Love  and  submission 
are  the  priucii^les  which  are  to  govern  them;  and  here 
the  wisdom  of  God  has  also  indicated  upon  whom  rests 
the  first  duty  of  submission.  Paul  writes,  "As  the 
church  is  subject  unto  Christ,  so  let  the  wives  be  to  their  ♦ 
own  husbands  in  every  thing."  In  the  general  charge 
of  submission  which  the  apostle  gives  to  all  believers,  the 
husband  as  well  as  the  wife  is  included.  All  submis- 
sion is  not  to  be  on  the  side  of  the  wife;  but  when 
they  cannot  see  things  in  the  same  light,  it  becomes  the 
duty  of  the  wife  to  submit.  If  both  are  in  the  Lord, 
this  can  never  be  a  hardship  to  the  wife;  because  Paul 


U'/iose    The  Dzdy  to  Render-  Submission.      119 

writes,  "Husbands  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also 
loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it."  And  he 
further  adds,  -'''So  ought  men  to  love  their  wives  as  their 
own  bodies,  and  nourish  and  cherish  them,  as  the  Lord 
does  the  church."  The  church  has  never  felt  it  a  hard- 
ship to  submit  to  Christ,  but  regards  it  as  a  duty  and 
pleasure.  Neither  can  it  be  a  hardship  for  the  wife  to 
submit  to  a  loving  husband.  If  the  husband  exacts 
more  of  his  wife  than  love  would  dictate,  or  the  wife 
refuses  proper  submission,  they  violate  the  principle 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  has.  prescribed  for  their  govern- 
ment. Under  such  circumstances  it  becomes  their  duty, 
as  brother  and  sister  in  Christ,  under  their  espousals  to 
him,  to  labor  mutually  in  gospel  order  to  bring  the  er- 
ring one  to  a  sense  of  neglect  of  duty,  and  to  repentance 
and  submission  to  the  Lord.  The  happiness  of  believers 
in  the  marriage  relation,  therefore,  depends  upon  their 
faitlifulncss  to  their  espousals  with  Christ;  and  where 
un happiness  exists  between  them,  there  must  be  a  de- 
parture of  one  or  of  both  from  their  duties  to  God. 

Such  a  thing  as  believers  not  agreeing  is  a  reproach 
to  the  Churcli  of  Christ;  and  this  is  especially  true  of 
married  believers.  As  love  is  the  principle  by  wnich 
Christ  governs  his  kingdom,  there  need  be  very  few  spe- 
cial commands,  or  directions.  Love  never  offends,  but 
always  does  that  which  is  right  and  good.  Wlierever 
disquietude,  confusion  or  discord  arises,  it  is  evident 
that  this  heavenly  influence  has  suffered  some  violence. 
There  is  no  condition  in  life  subject  to  more  anxieties, 
perplexities,  vexations  and  annoyances  than  may  arise 


120  Marriage. 

in  the  marriage  relation;  and  none  calls  more  loudly 
for  the  exercise  of  the  divine  virtues  of  gentlene»^- .  meek- 
ness, longsuffering,  j^atience  and  fortitude.  Faithful- 
ness to  God,  and  obedience  to  the  promptings  of  the 
Spirit  which  begets  these  virtues,  are  therefore  what  we 
seek  to  impress  and  insist  as  their  duty  to  God  as  believ- 
ers, and  to  one  another  as  husbands  and  wives. 


THE   MILLENNIUM, 


The  doctrine  of  the  Millenniuin  seems  to  be  inter- 
woven with  the  hisiorj  of  the  prevailing  church  since 
the  latter  part  of  the  first  century.  The  theories  con- 
cerning it  were  modifiecl  from  time  to  time  through 
changing  circumstances  which  seemed  to  affect  the  pros- 
pects for  the  future.  It  is  said  to  have  originated  with 
the  Messianic  expectations  of  the  Jews,  which  led  them 
to  indulge  in  extensive  and  extravagant  apocalyptic 
publications.  The  Jews  and  the  Christians  had  their 
anticipations  in  a  measure  in  common.  All  the  hopes 
of  the  Jews  for  deliverance  from  the  heathen  powers 
had  centered  in  the  promised  Messiah;  and  the  Chris- 
tians, especially  during  the  cruel  persecutions,  were  as 
hopeful  of  his  speedy  return  to  overcome  all  opposition 
to  the  peace  and  extension  of  his  kingdom. 

At  the  time  of  Origen,  Augustine  and  Jerome  the 
doctrine  so  generally  prevailed  that  they  opposed  it  as  a 
Jewish  dogma  that  could  not  be  supported  by  a  fair  and 
rational  interpretation  of  the  letter  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  altogether  discountenanced  by  the  spirit  of  them. 
It  is  said  that  this  opposition,  with  the  more  freedom 
enjoyed  during  the  reign  of  Constantine  and  some  of 
his  successors,  and  other  conditions  and  circumstances, 
gradually  led  to  a  loss  of  interest  in  the  doctrine  in  a 
general  way  until  within  the  last  century,  during  which 
time  it  was  much  revived. 


122  The  Millennium. 

There  were  circumstances  with  the  church  in  the 
first  centuries  which  contributed  very  mueh  to  the 
spread  and  influence  of  the  Millennial  doctrine.  They 
were  "compassed  about  by  a  fight  of  affliction,"  and  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  when  preached  in  its  purity  exposed 
the  "wickedness  and  idolatry  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles 
alike.  This  exposed  the  church  to  the  terrors  of  the  en- 
raged populace,  and  to  the  hatred  and  persecution  of  the 
Pagan  powers.  Under  these  unhappy  conditions  they 
would  naturally  draw  a  strong  import  from  those  scrip- 
Lures  that  encourage  the  hope  of  a  speedy  deliverance. 
Then,  too,  tlie  language  of  the  gospel  concerning  the 
end  encouraged  and  seemed  to  support  their  expecta- 
tions of  a  speedy  return  of  Christ:  "The  end  of  all 
things  IS  at  hand."  "We  which  remain  v.dll  be  caught 
up."  "Lo !  I  come  quickly."  "The  time  is  at  hand." 
"Things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass;"  also  the 
prediction  of  our  Lord  concerning  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem. 

The  book  of  Uevelations  abounds  in  S}Tnbols,  which 
form  the  language  that  is  common  to  j^rophecy.  It  is 
descriptive  of  the  great  conflict 'between  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  and  that  of  Antichrist,  and  represents  it  as 
continuing  down  to  the  end  of  time.  It  is  full  of 
warnings  against  apostasy,  and  of  promises  for  fortitude 
and  integrity,  and  in  many  ways  is  valuable  to  the 
church.  Although  attended  with  difficulties  and  mys- 
teries not  fully  understood,  yet  it  serves  us  well  when 
we  can  apply  it  as  an  incentive  to  faithful  obedience  to 
gospel  teaching.     It  is  most  serviceable  when  we  ap- 


Diversity  of  Opinion.  123 

propriate  (as  we  can  -ndtli  profit)  the  conditions  of  what 
is  termed  the  Millennial  reign  to  believers  individually, 
as  having  its  beginning  with  the  mystical  union  of  the 
sonl  with  Christ,  and  ending  with  their  days  here. 

If  Christ  out  of  kind  regard  and  concern  for  the 
instruction  of  his  people  has  condescended  to  reveal  the 
destiny  of  the  nations  and  of  his  chiirch  through  tliis 
book,  it  ought  to  be  accepted  with  gratitude  and  in  hu- 
mility. But  we  should  not  condemn  nor  ignore  what 
we  do  not  understand,  neither  should  we  indulge  in  any 
conjectures,  much  less  accept  an  interpretation  of  any 
part  of  it  that  can  not  be  supported  by  plain  gospel 
teaching. 

Millennarians  differ  as  to  whether  Christ  will  reign 
spiritually  or  personally ;  and  among  those  who  insist  on 
a  personal  reign,  as  to  whether  he  will  descend  at  the 
beginning  or  at  the  close  of  the  thousand  years.  Those 
\'iho  hold  to  a  spiritual  reign  insist  that  the  idea  of  a 
resurrection  of  the  saints  and  a  personal  reign  of  Christ 
it,  all  wrong,  unreasonable  and  improbable,  having  no 
foundation  in  the  scriptures;  but  they  insist  that  there 
Tvili  be  general  freedom  from  temptation  leading  to 
universal  peace,  and  great  joy  and  power  in  the  spirit, 
through  which  there  will  be  great  spiritual  attainments, 
agreement  in  doctrine  and  worship;  and  some  even 
conjecture  that  there  will  be  a  common  acceptation  of 
Christ  by  the  Jews,  Pagans  and  Mohammedans;  and 
finally,  after  the  time  of  severe  trial  by  Satan's  release, 
Christ  will  descend  to  judgment. 

Those   who    defend    a   literal   resurrection   of   the 


124  The  Millennium. 

saints  to  join  with  Christ  in  a  personal  reign,  also  have 
many  theories ;  among  which  are  that  after  the  destruc- 
tion of  those  who  oppose  Christ's  dominion,  and  after 
the  great  purification  by  fire,  a  new  heaven  and  a  new 
earth  will  succeed,  (before  which  it  was  not  a  fit  abode 
for  Christ,  or  suited  to  his  reign,)  when  he  will  descend 
to  reign  personally  a  thousand  years,  after  which  Satan 
will  be  loosed,  the  wicked  dead  will  be  raised,  and  these 
with  Satan's  hosts  will  make  up  the  army  of  Gog  and 
Magog;  and  after  their  defeat  follows  the  judgment. 
Others  are  content  to  have  Christ  descend  amidst  the 
depths  of  apostasy  and  sin;  for  they  say  by  a  wave  of 
the  consecrating  hand  of  the  Great  High  Priest  all  will 
be  sanctified  to  his  purpose ;  and  that  righteousness  will 
prevail  generally,  and  where  it  will  not,  those  who  op- 
pose will  be  destroyed.  The  governments  are  to  be  hu- 
mane and  just,  and  even  the  wild  beasts  are  to  become 
tame  or  be  exterminated.  So7ne  of  these  believe  that 
the  apostasy  during  the  last  eft'orts  of  Antichrist  will  be 
so  great  that  myriads  will  go  to  make  up  the  hosts  of 
Satan.  Some  insist  on  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  by 
which  they  will  be  led  to  universally  accept  Christ,  and 
that  Christianity  will  prevail  over  all  religions.  Some 
maintain  that  all  who  are  living  at  the  appearing  of 
Christ,  and  all  who  died  since  the  creation  of  the 
v.'orld,  who  refused  the  mercy  offered  during  life,  will 
have  an  opportunity  during  the  millennial  reign  for 
repentance  and  salvation.  The  claim  recognizes  the 
resurrection  of  all  the  dead  at  Christ's  coming.  The 
dead  and  the  living  who  received  Christ  previous  to  his 


How   The  Liter alists  Support   Their    Views.      125 

coming  will  be  recognized  at  his  appearing  as  his  bride, 
ai  which  time  the  marriage  shall  take  place. 

How  remarkable  do  some  of  these  things  appear, 
Avhen  we  consider  that  there  is  nothing  intimated  in  the 
whole  apocah'pse  of  Christ's  descent  to  the  earth  at 
the  begininng  of  what  is  called  the  Millennium ;  nothing 
0.:'  a  personal  reign;  nothing  of  a  literal  assembling  of 
the  Jews  in  Palestine ;  nothing  of  the  re-building  of  their 
temple,  for  John  says,  "I  saw  no  temple;"  nothing  of 
the  renovation  of  the  earth  by  fire,  or  of  its  lavish  pro- 
ductions; neither  an3i:hing  of  the  general  prevalence  of 
piety.  The  diversity  of  opinion  is  great,  and  this  in  itself, 
is  sufficient  evidence  that  there  is  a  lack  of  testimony 
to  support  and  confirm,  or  a  strong  disposition  to  the- 
orize. Our  object  is  to  show  by  scripture  testimony  the 
errors  that  generally  prevail  on  the  subject,  and  to 
insist  on  o-iving  more  clilicrent  heed  to  the  great  work 
of  redemption,  as  based  upon  the  atonement,  and  upon 
which  all  our  hopes  of  salvation  must  forever  depend. 

The  doctrine  of  the  literalists,  or  those  who  main- 
tain that  the  saints  will  be  resurrected  to  reign  with 
Christ,  is  based  principally  on  three  passages  in  the 
Xew  Testament.  The  first  is  1  Thess.  4:15-17,  where 
the  apostle  asserts  that  "The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise 
first."  Here  they  claim  a  distinction  is  made  between 
the  '"'dead  in  Christ"  and  the  rest  of  mankind.  But 
the  distinction  is  made  betwen  two  classes  of  Christians, 
the  dead  and  the  living.  The  apostle  asserts  that  the 
living  shall  have  no  advantage,  shall  not  precede  their 
brethren  who  are  dead.     As  he  is  writing  only  about 


126  The  Millennium. 

the  saints,  and  makes  no  reference  to  the  rest  of  man- 
kind, it  is  plain  that  the  resurrection  of  the  rest  of 
mankind  wonld  be  implied  as  taking  place  at  the  same 
tjnie. 

.  The  second  is  1  Cor.  15  :22-24 :  "For  as  in  Adam 
all  die.  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  he  made  alive.  But 
every  man  in  his  own  order:  Christ  the  first  fruits;  af- 
terward the}^  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming.  Then 
cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the 
kingdom  to  God."  Here  it  is  claimed  that  the  resur- 
rection shall  be  in  order:  first,  Christ;  second,  his 
people ;  and  third,  all  others ;  and  as  there  will  Tie  a  long 
period  of  time  between  the  resurrection  of  Christ  and 
that  of  his  people,  so  there  may  be  also  between  that 
of  his  people  and  the  rest  of  mankind.  But  here  we 
find  the  apostle  has  reference  again  to  believers  only, 
and  is  answering  those  who  doubted  or  denied  the  res- 
urrection. Here  again  no  reference  is  made  to  the  rest 
of  the  dead,  as  the  one  sufficiently  involves  the  other. 

"The  end"  referred  to  here  has  reference  to  the 
completion  of  the  great  work  of  redemption,  when 
Christ's  great  mediatorial  work  will  be  accomplished, 
and  the  last  enemy  destroyed,  which  is  death.  "Then 
shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject  unto  the  Father, 
that  God  may  be  all  in  all."  But  we  have  no  intimation 
in  either  of  these  Scriptures  of  an}i;hing  that  would 
serve  as  a  basis  for  a  ]\Iillenniar  reign  of  Christ  with 
liis  resurrected  saints  for  any  definite  or  indefinite  length 
of  tiuie,  although  the  apostle  has  given  very  plainly  the 


Revelation   Twentieth  and   The  Millennium.      127 

successive  stages  of  the  closing  scenes  and  events  of  that 
notable  day  of  the  Lord. 

The  third  Scripture  is  Eev.  20:1-6.  The  things 
here  recorded  that  prove  most  serviceable  to  them  are 
the  thousand  years  during  which  Satan  is  to  be  bound 
and  the  saints  are  to  reign  vith  Christ,  and  particularly 
what  is  recorded  in  the  fifth  verse :  "But  the  rest  of  the 
dead  lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were 
finished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection."  A  strictly 
literal  application  of  this  is  made  to  establish  two  bod- 
ily resurrections,  the  one  at  Christ's  appearing,  and  the 
ether  at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years. 

We  think  they  are  greatly  at  fault  when  they  use 
this  chapter  to  establish  two  bodily  resurrections  as  a 
basis  for  the  Millennial  theory.  Tliis  is  in  direct  conflict 
with  the  testimony  of  Christ  when  he  says,  "The  hour 
is  coming  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall 
hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth ;  they  that  have  done 
good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation."  (Jno. 
5:28,29.)  And  again,  "When  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him, 
then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  inrone  of  his  glory;  and 
before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations:  and  he  shall 
separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shenherd  divideth 
his  sheep  from  the  goats :  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on 
his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall 
the  king  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand.  Come  ye  bless- 
ed of  m.y  Father,  inlierit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world.     Then  shall  he  say 


128  The  Millennium. 

unto  them  on  the  left  hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed 
into  e\erlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels."  (Matt.  25:31-41.)  Tn  both  these  quotations 
Christ  declares  as  plainl}'  as  language  can  make  it,  that 
all  the  dead,  both  saints  and  sinners,  will  arise  and 
appear  before  him  at  the  same  time;  and  shall  at  the 
same  time  be  rewarded,  every  one  as  his  works  shall  be. 
The  teaching  of  the  aspostles  is  in  agreement  with  it, 
for  in  their  writings  we  find  nothing  that  does  not  har- 
monize with  what  Clirist  tattght  on  this  subject. 

The  apostle  John  writes,  "I  saw  the  dead  small  and 
great  stand  before  God."  "The  sea  gave  up  the  dead 
which  were  in  it,  and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the 
dead  which  were  in  them."  (Rev.  20:12, 13 ).  And  Paul 
writes,  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Ijord,  every  knee  shall  bow 
to  me.  and  every  tongue  shall  confess  to  God.  So  then 
every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God." 
(Eom.  14:11.  12).  "For  we  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  Christ."  (2  Cor.  5:10).  These  scrip- 
iures  assuredly  do  not  convey  the  idea  of  a  partial  or 
divided  resurrection :  neither  can  we  glean  the  faintest 
idea  from  them  that  there  had  been  a  resurrection  of 
any  part  of  the  dead  before.  Neither  that  any  had  re- 
ceived their  reward  or  sentence  before;  and  yet  if  those 
souls  which  Jolm  saw  were  resurrected  they  must  have 
received  their  glorified  bodies  and  been  assigned  to  their 
exalted  station.  These  scriptures  tell  of  Christ's  coming 
to  judge  the  worlds  but  nothing  of  his  reigning  here; 
and  they  show  very  plainly  that  all  shall  appear  and 
bt  judged  at  the  sanie  time,     ISTew  Testament  teaching 


The  Binding  of  Satan.  129 

defines  hut  one  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  plainly 
proves  that  no  reign  of  a  thousand  years  can  intervene 
hetwocn  tlie  resiirrcction  of  the  saints  and  that  of  the 
sinners. 

"And  1  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  hav- 
ing the  key  of  tlie  bottomless  pit  and  a  great  chain  in  his 
hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old  ser- 
pent; which  is  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a 
thousand  years."  It  is  said  that  "The  language  of  sym- 
bols is  the  vehicle  of  prophecy,'"'  and  it  applies  well  to 
the  Kevelations,  and  especially  to  this  binding;  and  for 
this  and  other  reasons  it  should  be  plain  to  every  one  that 
it  should  not  be  used  literally,  neither  should  a  detached 
interpretation  be  placed  on  it.  It  has  an  important 
connection  with  the  rest  of  the  prophecy,  and  much 
dej)cnds  u|>on  it  for  the  defense  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
peaceable  reign  of  the  Millennium. 

Whether  the  angel  is  Christ,  or  a  celestial  being 
vested  with  his  power,  or  a  Ansible  expression  of  the  pow- 
ers of  his  Gos]iel.  we  cannot  say ;  but  all  the  intercourse 
between  heaven  and  earth  is  through  the  mediation  of 
Christ ;  and  ever}^  successful  effort  against  the  kingdom 
of  Satan  upon  earth  must  be  understood  as  being  effect- 
ed through  the  power  and  virtue  of  the  great  atonement, 
and  bv  the  powers  of  the  Gospel.  The  key  is  a  symbol 
of  power;  and  as  it  is  used  to  lock  and  unlock,  it  has  a 
two-fold  import,  that  of  binding  and  unbinding.  In 
chap.  9  :2.  it  was  used  to  open,  but  here  to  bind.  The 
key,  the  chain  and  the  pit  are  symbols  of  suppression  in 
the  binding  of  Satan,  which  we  must  regard  as  a  figur- 
ative action,  ha^^ng  somewhat  of  a  spiritiial  import.    It 


130  The  Millennium. 

is  one  of  the  important  things  that  goes  to  forni  the 
scenery  in  the  remarkable  visions  recorded;  but  it  is 
variously  understood.  Some  apply  it  literally,  others 
figuratively,  and  still  others  spiritually. 

This  binding  is  to  prevent  his  deceiving  the  nations. 
but  in  what  it  consists  no  one  has  been  able  to  show, 
though  many  have  been  the  attempts  to  do  so.  But  we 
cannot  accept  it  as  a  literal  or  personal  binding.  When 
Christ  prevailed  over  Satan  in  the  atonement,  and  di- 
vested him  of  his  armor,  he  did  it  l^y  the  excellency  of 
the  power  of  his  Spirit.  He  cliallenged  the  evil  spirits, 
and  they  obeyed ;  he  summoned  back  the  departed  soul, 
and  it  complied ;  he  burst  the  bars  of  death,  and  the 
grave  had  to  yield  up  its  treasures.  Besides,  Satan  is 
a  spirit,  and  effects  his  work  through  spiritual  agencies. 
But  as  Adam's  fallen  race  are  his  subjects,  and  man's 
spiritual  and  eternal  ruin  his  design,  and  as  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  is  the  special  object  of  his  wrath,  the  binding 
may  be  a  curtailing  of  his  power  among  the  nations, 
for  the  greater  glory  and  liberty  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
Some  claim  that  this  has  been  effected  by  the  binding  of 
Paganism,  and  by  the  removing  of  the  persecuting  ten- 
dency of  false  religion  sheltered  under  corrupt  govern- 
ments, which  have  been  the  great  persecuting  agencies 
of  Satan  against  the  defenseless  Christians,  and  that  by 
these  means  Christ's  church  has  been  brought  out  from 
under  the  severe  intoleran3e  and  cruel  persecutions  into 
comparative  freedom  in  most  -countries. 

But  if  Satan  has  been  shorn  of  mucli  of  his  power 
in  the  nations,  he  has  not  lost  his  hold  on  the  individuals 
who  compose  them.  We  have  strong  evidences  that  he 
has  only  changed  his  manners  somewhat.     Then  he  de- 


Ma7is  Nature    Wi/l  Not  Be  Changed.         131 

ftrnyed  the  body  in  hopes  of  destroying  the  soul  with  it. 
Xow  he  hf.s  transformed  himself  into  an  angel  of  light 
to  spread  dece])tion  and  corruption  among  divided  Chris- 
tianity, and  is  willing  that  the  body  may  have  all  the 
comforts  and  pleasures  of  an  earthly  paradise,  if  in  the 
end  he  can  but  claim  the  soul. 

Again  this  binding  of  Satan  is  construed  by  many, 
even  of  eminent  ability,  into  such  a  deprivation  of  power 
as  will  afford  the  church  an  ahuost  entire  freedom  from 
temptation.  The  improbability  of  this  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  he  was  granted  full  liberty  to  tempt  and 
deceive  our  Rrst  parents  when  in  a  state  of  irmocency, 
and  from  his  having  liberty  to  continue  his  work  through 
all  succeeding  generations.  The  Lord  could  have  placed 
man  in  the  creation  above  Satan's  power,  but  in  his 
wisdom  he  did  not  do  so,  nor  have  we  any  encouragement 
to  believe  that  he  ever  will  while  man  is  in  a  state  of 

mortality. 

That  a  state  of  sinlessness,  or  even  comparative 

freedom  from  temptation  to  sin,  should  be  expected  dur- 
ing the  time  of  this  binding  could  only  be  established  by 
an  almost  total  perversion  of  all  Xew  Testament  teach- 
ing :  and  it  would  of  necessity  even  require  a  revoking  of 
the  sentence  upon  Adam  and  Eve,  and  a  removal  of  the 
consequent  effect  of  the  fall.  This  is  nowhere  promised, 
nor  even  intimated  in  any  of  God's  revelations  to  man. 
It  cannot  be  shown  by  what  is  past  or  present,  nor  by 
the  word  of  God,  not  even  by  the  book  of  Eevelations 
itself,  that  there  will  be  any  change  as  to  the  character 
of  man  as  lie  comes  into  the  world;  for  the  race  is  fall- 
en, and  he  is  inclined  to  act  out  his  fallen  nature, 


132  TJie  Millennium. 

Christ  taught  that  as  it  was  in  the  da3^s  of  Noah, 
and  in  the  days  of  Lot,  so  shall  it  be  at  his  coming,  and 
he  asks,  "When  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find 
faith  in  the  earth  ?"  Peter  wrote,  "Knowing  this  first, 
that  there  shall  come  in  the  last  da3^s  scoffers,  walking 
after  their  own  lusts,  and  saying,  where  is  the  promise  of 
his  coming?  for  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things 
continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  cre- 
ation." (2  Peter,  3:4.)  Paul  wrote,  "This  know  also, 
that  in  the  last  da^^s  perilous  times  shall  come ;  for  men 
shall  be  lovers  of  tlieir  own  selves,  covetous,  boasters, 
proud,  blasphemous,  unthankful,  unhol}^,  without  nat- 
ural affection,  despisers  of  those  who  do  good,  lovers  of 
pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God."  (2  Tim.  3:1-4.) 
These  Scriptpres  present  a  sad  condition,  and  this  at 
the  time  of  Christ's  second  advent.  They  are  indeed  a 
sad  commentary  on  the  results  of  that  Millennium  so 
gloriously  defined  by  many.  It  will  not  do  to  apply 
these  conditions  to  his  supposed  coming  previous  to  the 
Millennium,  for  there  is  but  one  coming  supported  by 
the  Scriptures,  and  that  to  judge  the  world. 

The  promises  of  the  gospel  are  nearly  all  framed 
to  a  condition  of  suffering,  temptation  and  afiliction  on 
the  part  of  those  to  whom  they  are  addressed.  Those 
that  endure,  unto  the  end  have  the  promise,  which  im- 
plies a  warfare;  and  the  apostle  even  enumerates  the 
weapons  of  it.  The  hatred,  the  trials  and  sufferings  that 
Christ  and  his  apostles  assured  all  the  faithful  as  their 
lot  in  life  are  not  limited  to  any  period  of  time,  nor 
even  an  intimation  of  any  abating.     They,  and  Ins  faith- 


No   Cross  to  be  Borne   Tfien.  133 

ful  servants  whose  souls  John  saw,  endured  the  great 
tribulations,  and  we  are  encouraged  to  look  to  them  and 
imitate  their  example.  They  have  hallowed  the  way, 
and  it  remains  for  us  to  walk  in  it. 

And  besides,  would  not  freedom  from  temptation 
detract  from  the  merit  of  obedience  ?  Is  not  true  piety 
estimated  by  the  opposition  it  overcomes,  or  at  lea»5t  by 
the  effort  by  God's  gi'ace  to  overcome?  It  was  for  a 
purpose  that  those  souls  were  honored  by  a  mention  of 
what  they  had  endured  and  overcome.  The  most  pros- 
perous and  glorious  times  in  the  history  of  the  church 
have  always  been  when  great  oppositions  were  met  and 
surmounted.  On  the  other  hand,  would  it  be  possible 
for  any  to  attain  to  a  full  knowledge  of  self,  and  of  the 
high-priestly  service  of  Christ  without  a  conflict  with 
Satan  in  a  warfare  against  sin  ?  Yet  such  exemption  is 
conjectured  to  be  the  lot  of  those  who  are  expected  to 
live  in  the  Millennial  reign,  and  who  accept  Christ;  for 
according  to  the  prevailing  sentiment  there  will  at 
that  time  be  nothing  so  popular  in  the  world  as  Chris- 
tianity. It  is  pictured  off  in  the  brightest  light,  both  as 
to  the  pleasures  of  the  soul,  and  those  of  the  body. 
According  to  this  theory  there  will  be  no  cross  to  bear 
there;  and  Gethsemane  and  Calvary  will  not  then  be 
reflected  through  the  lives  of  those  who  endured  the 
"fight  of  affliction,"  for  they  will  greatly  lose  their  in- 
terest, because  of  the  absence  of  those  things  which 
created  them  a  necessity.  Nothing  magnifies  the  atone- 
ment so  much  as  a  knowledge  of  God's  righteousness  as 
revealed  in  his  law,  and  a  consciousness  of  depraved 


134  The  Millemuum. 

h.umaiiity.  But  of  these  there  is  to  be  but  little  known 
there,  if  man  proves  wise  in  the  things  which  he  has 
written. 

But  the  binding  represented  by  what  John  saw  and 
revealed  reflects  back  most  expressively  to  that  binding 
of  Satan  by  Christ  in  the  atonement;  for  it  should  be 
apparent  that  without  this  binding  the  other  would 
not  have  been  effected.  ''God  was  in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world  to  himself;"  but  to  effect  this  he  had  first  to 
deliver  it  from  the  dominion  of  Satan.  Christ  him- 
self said,  "No  man  can  enter  into  a  strong  man's  house 
and  sjioil  his  goods  except  he  will  first  bind 
the  strong  man;  and  then  he  will  spoil  his  goods."  To 
this  end  the  Son  of  Cod  assumed  humanity,  and  in  it 
suffered  the  penalty  of  the  violation  of  God's  holy  law, 
healed  the  breach  made  by  transgression,  and  thus  de- 
feated and  bound  the  great  adversary  upon  the  very 
field  of  his  triumph  over  the  innocence  of  Eden.  By 
his  vicarious  sacrifice,  and  by  his  victory  over  death  and 
the  grave,  he  "took  the  armor  from  the  strong  man 
armed,"  and  bound  him  against  any  possibility  of  ever 
overcoming  those  who  take  refuge  to  God  in  Christ. 

Paul  says,  "Forasmuch  as  the  children  were  par- 
takers of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took 
part  of  the  same;  that  through  death  he  might  destroy 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil;  and 
deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their 
lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  (Heb.  2:14.)  "Blotting 
out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances  that  Avas  against  us, 
nailing  it  to  his  cross."   (Col.  2  :14.)      "He  led  captivity 


The  Binding  Reflects  Back  to  the  Atonement.     135 

captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto  men."  (Eph.  4:8.)  Thus 
he  opened  the  prison  doors  that  were  closed  against  the 
hopes  of  both  the  living  and  the  dead,  and.  set  the  cap- 
tives free.  His  invitation  to  all  is,  "Come  unto  me  all 
ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest;"  and  his  promise  to  his  church  is,  "Upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
■not  prevail  against  it;"  '"Lo,  I  am  with  you  always 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Thus  we  find  the  full- 
est assurance  in  the  invitation;  and  in  the  promises, 
ample  protection  guaranteed  to  the  faithful  against 
Satan  and  all  his  hosts. 

But  to  give  more  force  to  their  arguments  in  sup- 
port of  a  Millennial  binding  of  Satan,  some  assert  that 
there  is  no  evidence  of  his  being  bound  now,  as  the 
world  is  full  of  wickedness,  and  his  kingdom  appears 
strong,  and  that  there  is  a  general  tendency  with  man 
to  yield  to  him  and  l)ecome  captive  at  his  will.  But 
such  has  been  man's  reputation  since  the  fall,  and  we 
have  every  reason  to  fear  that  it  will  be  to  the  end  of 
time.  Yet  Satan  with  all  his  craft  and  power  can  not 
keep  an  awakened,  seeking  soul  from  coming  to  Christ; 
neither  can  he  move  that  soul  from  his  hold  on  Christ. 
But  on  the  other  hand  it  is  nowhere  promised  that 
Satan  shall  be  bound  for,  and  shall  not  deceive  those 
who  choose  to  serve  him.  If  after  being  warned,  and 
after  being  called  of  God,  and  promised  deliverance  by 
him,  such  still  continue  in  sin,  they  prove  themselves  his 
willing  subjects. 

Wlien  slavery  yet  existed  in  the  Southern  States, 


136  The  MittenniuM. 

the  slaves  were  held  in  bondage  by  virtue  of  the  laws 
of  those  States ;  but  when  the  government  declared  them 
free,  those  laws  were  annulled,  and  their  masters  lost 
their  power  to  hold  them  in  bondage.  It  now  became 
optional  with  the  slaves  to  accept  liberty  or  to  remain 
in  servitude.  Those  that  remained  did  so  from  choice, 
and  were  themselves  responsible.  Just  so  it  was  with 
the  spiritual  bondage  under  which  the  whole  human 
family  was  brought  by  the  transgression  of  our  first 
parents.  By  yielding  obedience  to  the  suggestions  of 
the  devil,  they  became  his  servants,  and  were  held  as 
transgressors  of  God's  holy  and  just  law  until  Christ 
came  and  fulfilled  that  law  for  man,  proclaimed  liber- 
ty to  all  of  Adam's  fallen  race,  and  set  the  captives 
free.  Those  who  accept  of  this  proffered  mercy  are  no 
longer  fettered  by  a  broken  law,  but  can  now  through 
the  blessings  of  Christ  obtain  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God.  But  those  who  prefer  the  service  of  Satan  re- 
main in  bondage,  not  because  of  Adam's  transgression, 
but  because  of  their  own  love  of  sin. 

Lest  we  fail  to  have  a  due  appreciation  of  that 
binding  of  Satan  by  Christ  through  the  atonement,  and 
let  our  hopes  turn  too  much  to  that  binding  that  is  to 
characterize  the  supposed  Millennium,  we  will  again  try 
to  emphasize  the  importance  of  giving  it  full  consider- 
ation. It  was  by  it  that  salvation  was  wrought  and 
liberty  proclaimed,  and  through  the  efficacy  and  eternal 
benefits  of  it  that  those  souls  witnessed  l)y  Jolm  at- 
tained to  their  glorious  estate  ;  and  it  is  the  binding  upon 
which  rests  all  our  hopes  for  eternity.     What  the  bind- 


The   Thousand   Years  Are  Figurative.         13"? 

ing  seen  by  John  was,  or  is  to  be,  should  concern  us 
but  little  when  weighed  against  the  inestimable  benefits 
of  that  binding  through  the  atonement.  God  gave 
promise  of  it  in  Eden,  repeated  it  to  Moses,  reiterated  it 
through  the  prophets,  heralded  its  dawn  through  the 
angels,  and  consummated  it  through  his  Son.  Let  us 
learn  to  appreciate  and  magnify  it,  for  those  who  secure 
its  blessings  need  not  be  troubled  as  to  what  will  be 
revealed  by  the  other  binding;  while  those  who  fail  in 
this,  will  not  be  made  secure  by  the  other. 

It  is  generally  accepted  that  the  primitive  reason 
for  making  the  victorious  era  of  the  church  last  a  thou- 
sand years  was  derived  from  the  Mosaic  account  of  the 
creation.  The  Jews  and  Judaic  Christians  interpreted 
literally  the  fourth  verse  of  the  ninetieth  Psalm,  and 
supposed  that  a  day  with  the  Lord  was  equal  to  a 
thousand  years.  Hence  the  six  days  of  the  creation 
were  understood  to  indicate  that  the  earth  would  pass 
through  six  thousand  j^ears  of  labor  and  suffering,  to  be 
followed  by  a  seventh — a  thousand  years  of  rest  and 
peace.  More  modern  theories  divide  the  periods  thus: 
two  thousand  years  void  of  the  law ;  two  thousand  years 
under  tlie  law;  two  thousand  years  under  the  gospel, 
and  one  thousand  3^ears  under  the  personal  reign  of 
Clirist.  The  expressed  period  of  one  thousand  years  in 
Rev.  20  went  perhaps  further  than  the  other  to  establish 
this  point.  But  we  are  fully"  persuaded  that  it  should 
not  be  used  literally,  as  it  very  generally  is.  As  it 
forms  a  part  of  a  prophecy  it  may  as  consistently  be 
used   prophetically,   that   is,   a   day   for   a   year,   which 


138  The  Millennium. 

would  make  it  represent  360.000  years.  But  as  this  is 
not  likely  the  design,  although  as  justifiable  and  as 
proper  perhaps  to  use  it  this  way  as  to  use  it  literally, 
we  incline  to  the  figurative  use  of  it,  by  which  it  rep- 
resents an  indefinite  period  of  time.  Then  too  as  much 
of  the  Eevelations  is  figurative,  it  seems  most  appro- 
priate that  this  should  be  used  so  too. 

Another  reason  why  it  should  be  used  figuratively 
is  because  it  is  said  to  have  been  a  mystic  number  with 
the  Jews,  and  is  so  used  in  their  writings.  One  of  their 
sayings  was,  "The  days  of  the  Messiah  are  a  thousand 
years."  There  was  a  tradition  that  "The  righteous 
which  God  shall  raise  from  the  dead  shall  not  return  to 
the  dust  for  the  space  of  a  thousand  years,  in  which 
Grod  shall  renew  the  world."  Even  the  Greeks  and  the 
Romans  used  the  term,  a  thousand  years,  in  reference  to 
the  state  of  the  dead,  as  found  in  their  writings ;  and  it 
is  not  known  with  whom  it  originated.  Besides  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  the  early  Christians  were  mostly 
Jews  by  birth,  schooled  in  the  peculiarities  of  the 
Mosaic  econoni}^,  and,  like  Paul,  were  "exceedingly  zeal- 
ous in  the  traditions  of  the  fathers."  Hence  it  was 
but  natural  for  them,  not  only  to  respect  the  traditions, 
but  even  to  use  the  idioms  of  their  language,  and  to 
harmonize  in  a  measure  the  prophetic  announcements  of 
the  JSTew  Testament  with  the  views  inherited  from 
Jewish  sources.  All  these  things  together  weaken  the 
expression  as  to  its  numerical  import. 

"After  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season,*"  "and 
shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations."     The  form  of  ex- 


The    Unbinding  of  Satan.  139 

pression,  ''must  be  loosed,"  is  similar  to  "things  which 
must  shortly  come  to  pass,"  and  no  doubt  is  so  stated 
because  it  is  one  of  the  expressed  purposes  of  the  dJviue 
mind.  Christ  said.  "Thus  it  must  be."  and  "The  scrip- 
tures must  be  fulfilled."  That  is,  it  was  ordained  that 
he  should  suffer,  it  was  a  part  of  the  great  plan  of  re- 
demption, was  spoken  in  prophecy,  and  could  not"  fail. 
So  this  loosing  of  Satan  has  a  divine  purpose,  it  has  been 
spoken,  and  must  have  a  fulfillment.  Just  v/har,  it  sio;- 
nifies,  or  why  he  should  hn  loosed  to  go  out  to  deceive 
the  nations,  we  are  not  told,  but  it  concerns  us  all. 
We  have  reason  ^to  believe  that  in  the  time  marked  by 
the  "little  season,"  he  will  have  no  more  power  than 
he  had  before,  but  the  language  plainly  indicates  that 
he  is  to  have  more  freedom,  or  perhaps  more  favorable 
opportunities,  than  during  the  time  of  the  thousand 
years.  Man's  dereliction  of  duty  to  God,  and  love  of 
self  and  sin  will  make  Satan's  opportunity.  It  seems 
that  this  will  be  his  great  final  effort  against  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  and  that  his  work  is  to  be  effected  by  de- 
ception. Scripture  testimony  proves  that  the  world 
at  that  time  will  be  in  a  state  of  gross  wickedness,  and 
under  a  great  delusion,  and  that  the  true  worshipers  will 
not  be  numerous.  But  no  doubt  will  further  deceive 
both  the  world  and  those  who  profess  but  do  not  possess 
Christ,  and  will  succeed  in  bringing  his  cross  into 
further  disrepute.  Even  the  faithful  will  be  more  ex- 
posed because  of  the  great  prevalence  of  sin  and  decep- 
tion; and  those  who  do  not  stand  in  the  power  of  Christ, 
and  are  disposed  to  "watch  and  pray,"  and  willing  to 


140  The  Millennium. 

"endure  the  cross  and  despise  the  shame"  will  be  in  great 
danger  of  falling  away. 

Some  one  conjectures  that  Satan  may  introduce  some 
new  religion,  or  lead  the  present  worship  into  a  more 
worldly,  cold  and  dead  formalism.  From  the  evidences 
before  us  he  has  already  succeeded  well  in  both  of  these. 
He  has  wrought  a  great  work  in  dividing  Christianity 
into  a  multiplicity  of  sects;  and,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  New  Testament  teaching  recognizes  but  one 
united  hody,  he  still  has  succeeded  in  carrying  his  de- 
ceptions so  far  that  it  is  generally  believed  that  these 
are  but  so  many  branches  that  constitute  the  church  of 
Christ.  And  further  than  this  he  has  deceived  many 
to  believe  that  the  church  may  walk  with  the  world  in 
its  vanities,  fashions  and  pleasures,  filling  every  office 
and  position  under  the  "powers  that  be,"  and  that  it 
may  even  discard  the  non-worldly,  self-denying,  cross- 
bearing  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  yet  claim  a  comfort  in 
the  promises  of  his  gospel.  How  significant  are  the 
words  of  Christ:  "If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee 
be  darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness." 

Paul's  warning  to  all,  and  for  all  time  is,  'TJet  him 
that  thinlveth  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall;"  and 
Peter  writes,  "If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where 
shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear?"  This  lan- 
guage impresses  us  that  even  the  most  faithful  are  at 
all  times  much  exposed  to  deception;  yet  men  are  as 
little  inclined  now  to  heed  the  warnings  of  heaven  as 
they  were  in  the  days  of  the  prophets. 

"I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judg- 


The    Thrones  Not  Earthly  Ones.  141 

ment  was  given  unto  them."  Thrones  are  emblems  of 
authority  and  of  dominion.  The  apostle's  language, 
"and  they  sat  upon  them,"  proves  them  to  have  been 
occupied  when  he  saw  them ;  but  he  does  not  say  by 
whom.  Some  suppose  these  to  be  the  thrones  of  the 
nations  involved  in  the  prophecies  of  this  book,  and  that 
they  were  occupied  by  their  rulers.  However  they  can- 
not indicate  earthly  thrones  occupied  by  Christians,  as 
some  would  have  it.  for  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  pos- 
sess them.  But  as  they  were  seen  and  spoken  of  in 
connection  Avith  the  souls,  they  are  properly  connected 
with  them,  and  they  may  very  fittingly  be  expressive  of 
the  blessings  and  honor  to  be  conferred  upon  them  as  a 
rev.-ard  for  their  faitlifulness.  At.  least  they  may  have 
been  presented  to  give  force  to  the  expression  made  in 
reference  to  the  souls,  that  "They  lived  and  reigned  with 
Christ,  a  thousand  years." 

The  thrones  are  only  symlwls.  and  their  chief  signi- 
ficance is  embraced  in  this  life ;  and  as  they  are  not 
natural  thrones,  dispensing  natural  benefits  or  judg- 
ments, so  we  must  consider  them  as  having  a  spiritual 
import.  They  evidently  refer  to,  and  are  expressive  of, 
the  same  thing  that  Christ  spake  to  his  disciples:  "Ye 
also  shall  eit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tnbes  of  Israel''  (Matt.  19:28);  and,  "That  ye  may 
eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom,  and  sit  on 
thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  (Luke 
32  :30. )  We  find  a  fulfillment  of  this  in  the  work  of 
the  apostles  and  their  co-laborers.  They  went  out  un- 
der a  high  commission,  and  their  calling  as  witnesses 


142  The  Millennium. 

of  the  life,  the  miracles,  the  teaching,  death  and  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  and  as  the  heralds  of  the  gospel  of 
his  kingdom,  both  by  their  preaching  and  by  their  epis- 
tles, was  indeed  an  exalted  one,  and  well  expressed  by 
thrones.  x\nd  by  their  lives,  and  by  their  labors  and 
their  death,  they  judged  all  who  rejected  the  offer  of 
mercy  and  free  salvation,  and  none  so  deserving  of  be- 
ing named  as  Israel. 

The  thrones  may  also  serve  as  a  figure  of  the  ex- 
alted position  to  which  believers  are  called  in  this  world. 
As  spiritual  kings  they  sit  upon  spiritual  thrones;  that 
is,  their  hearts  and  minds  are  lifted  up  from  earth  to 
Christ,  their  Lord;  for  there  are  their  treasures  and' 
their  affections;  and  thus  they  live  and  reign  with 
Christ,  though  still  in  the  body.  They  are  also  called 
"a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people." 

Paul  says,  "Do  ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall 
judge  the  world?"  True  believers  judge  the  world  in 
spirit  by  their  faith  and  love  of  Jesus,  which  the  world 
despises ;  by  their  acceptance  of  gospel  teaching,  which  it 
rejects ;  and  by  their  witnessing  in  their  lives  to  the  truth 
and  j)Ower  of  that  Word ;  even  as  No  ah  condemned  the 
world  when  he  believed  God,  and  testified  to  the  truth 
of  his  word  in  preparing  the  ark.  The  three  Hebrew 
children  judged  Xelnichednezzar  and  those  who  obeyed 
him,  when  through  fidelity  to  God  they  transgressed  his 
decree  by  refusing  to  fall  down  and  worship  his  golden 
image,  and  suffered  themselves  to  be  cast  into  the  fiery 
furnace.  Daniel  brought  judgment  to  King  Darius  and 
his  accusers  when  he  refused  to  obey  his  decree  and 


John  Saw   The  Souls  of  The  Saints.  143 

suffered  himself  to  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  So 
every  child  of  God  who  is  willing  to  siilfer  all  things 
for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  and  who  walks  in  the  power 
and  light  of  his  spirit,  pronounces  spiritual  judgment 
upon  the  disobedient  world;  and  these  things  shall  be 
a  testimony  against  the  unfaithful  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. 

"And  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that? were  beheaded 
for  the  -witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and 
which  had  not  worshiped  the  beast,  neither  his  image, 
neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads." 
He  does  not  say  that  he  saw  tlie  saints,  but  their  souls; 
nor  does  he  say  that  they  lived  again  upon  the  earth, 
and  reigned  personally  with  Christ.  If  he  saw  only  the 
souls,  they  must  not  have  been  embodied;  and  this  will 
go  very  far  to  exclude  the  idea  of  a  bodily  resurrection. 
And  if  there  was  not  a  bodily  resurrection  of  those 
souls,  then  there  would  be  no  propriety  in  maintaining 
that  there  will  be  a  personal  reign  of  Christ  upon 
earth.  But  some  say  that  the  soul  is  invisible,  and 
so  John  must  have  seen  tliein  embodied.  God  can  make 
anything  visible,  yet  none  of  the  objects  which  John 
enumerates  in  his  vision  were  seen  by  his  natural  sight. 
Paul  says  of  his  being  caught  up  to  the  third  heavens, 
"Whether  in  the  body,  or  whether  out  of  the  body,  I 
cannot  tell."  The  same  conditions  apply  to  John,  who 
when  these  things  were  revealed,  was  under  the  influence 
of  a  prophetic  ecstasy,  when  the  external  senses. are  in  a 
state  of  suspense,  and  only  the  mental  perceptions  are 
active,  and  the  visions  are  portrayed  to  the  mind  through 


144  The  Millennium. 

the  mental  faculties.  But  the  real  difficulty  with  those 
who  insist  on  a  literal  resurrection  of  the  saints  is  not  in 
making  the  souls  visible  to  John,  but  the  fact  that  he 
has  reference  to  something  quite  different  from  what 
is  generall}'  understood  of  the  resurrection;  for  when 
it  is  referred  to  in  the  Bible  it  alwa3's  means  that  of  the 
body. 

The  theory  of  a  literal  resurrection  of  the  saints  to 
reign  with  Christ  for  a  thousand  years  can  receive  no 
support  from  John  witnessing  the  souls  of  the  saints. 
He  expressly  says,  as  if  to  guard  the  point  from  all 
danger  of  a  literal  construction,  that  he  saw  the  souls, 
and  that  he  saw  them  in  a  state  of  active  existence. 
He  sa3^s  nothing  of  them  being  raised  up  from  their 
graves,  nor  of  them  even  having  spiritual  bodies.  If  he 
had  seen  the  saints,  he  would  not  have  said  that  he  saw 
their  souls.  He  enumerates  what  he  saw,  and  among 
the  rest  were  these  souls. 

It  is  said  that  the  word  in  the  original,  here  trans- 
lated souls,  has  no  doubtful  meaning,  and  cannot  by  any 
possible  construction  be  made  to  mean  the  bodies  of  the 
saints;  and  that  the  language  does  not  express  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection.  And  besides  this,  if  the  "first 
resurrection^'  is  to  sigTiify  a  bodily  resurrection  in  glori- 
fied bodies,  why  should  the  assurance  be  given  that  "on 
such  the  second  death  hath  no  power?"  It  would  not 
only  be  needless,  but  strange  that  such  an  assertion 
should  be  made.  ISTeither  is  there  anything  intimated 
here  nor  an}-A\'here  in  the  gospel,  to  support  the  idea 
that  Christ  is  to  reign  personally  with  his  saints,  as 


The  Design  of   The    Vision  of   The  Souls.     145 

always  held  by  the  Jews  for  their  Messiah.  His  king- 
dom is  not  an  earthly  one ;  but  it  is  "righteousness,  peace 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  It  is  a  spiritual  kingdom 
.-^et  up  in  the  hearts  of  his  people.  His  is  a  priesthood 
forever  after  the  order  of  Melchisedek. 

The  design  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  presenting  the 
remarkable  vision  of  these  souls  was  evidently  in  a  great 
measure  at  least  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  should 
indeed  be  called  to  suffer,  that  they  might  be  armed 
beforehand  for  the  trying  conflict,  by  having  their 
minds  reconciled  to  the  prospect  of  suffering.  In  look- 
ing forward  to  the  fiery  trial  of  their  faith  it  was  well 
that  they  could  read  their  reward  in  the  blessed  estate 
of  these  souls.  We  believe  that  every  cliild  of  God  is 
oncouraged  by  the  fortitude  and  patience  of  those  who 
suffered  death  "for  the  witness  of  Jesus;"  and  he  is  ani- 
mated to  a  more  zealous,  self-denying  and  self-sacrific- 
ing effort,  and  to  a  fuller  consecration  of  mind,  soul  and 
body  to  the  service  of  God  and  the  advancement  of  liis 
Idngdom.  Wliat  lover  of  truth  has  not  been  inspired 
by  the  example  of  Daniel,  and  the  three  Hebrew  child- 
ren, and  the  whole  army  of  martyrs,  and  put  to  shaiae 
because  of  his  own  "light  affliction." 

If  in  the  early  centuries  some  in  the  faith,  because 
of  attending  circumstances,  did  adopt  a  more  literal  in- 
terpretation of  what  John  saw,  yet  they  did  not  base 
their  hopes  of  salvation  on  it.  No  doubt  they  Avere  ani- 
mated by  their  expectations,  and  in  their  great  suffer- 
ings it  gave  firmness  to  their  resolutions,  and  strength 
to  their  endurance.     And   need  we  wonder  that  they 


146  The  Millennitmi. 

yearned  for  universal  peace,  and  indulged  in  the  fond 
hope  of  a  personal  divine  rule  upon  earth. 

For  those  saints  to  witness  Jesus  and  testif}^  to  the 
word  of  God.  was  to  confess  Christ  and  proclaim  him 
the  true  Messiah,  and  the  only  true  object  of  adoration, 
and  to  promulgate  his  gospel,  Avith  its  self-denying  pre- 
cepts, and  to  teach  of  his  death  and  resurrection,  and 
that  he  was  the  only  hope  for  the  sinner.  This  con- 
demned idolatry,  which  at  that  time  prevailed  in  every 
nation  upon  the  earth,  and  exposed  it  as  a  great  work 
of  the  dragon.  We  have  a  strildng  example  of  the 
effects  of  all  this  in  the  labors  of  Paul  and  his  com- 
panions with  the  worshipers  of  Diana,  as  recorded  in 
Acts  19:24-41. 

As  to  what  the  beast  and  his  image  are,  men  have 
been  satisfied  to  diifor  much ;  but  whatever  they  may 
be,  they  are  the  creatures  of  the  dragon,  and  an  embodi- 
ment of  about  all  his  wicked  devisings  against  the  king- 
dom of  Christ.  "The  dragon  gave  the  beast  his  power, 
and  his  seat,  and  great  authority."  (Rev.  13:2).  Idol- 
atry has  ever  been  the  great  and  debasing  work  of  the 
dragon,  set  up  to  oppose  the  true  worship;  and  unfor- 
tunately it  has  never  been  confined  to  Paganism.  It 
assumes  many  forms,  and  much  of  it  is  still  found 
among  those  professing  Christianity.  lAithcr  and 
Carlstadt  had  their  controversies  about  some  of  its  be- 
longings, the  images  of  the  saints,  and  other  append- 
ages of  the  Koman  church;  but  these  things  still  con-, 
tinue  as  they  were  then.  The  tendency  to  idolatry  in 
some  forni^  or  rather  the  disposition  to  worship  the 


Th/;  Image  and  Mark  of   The  Beast.  147 

oreature  rather  than  the  '  Creator,  has  always  been 
strong  in  man.  It  is  said  that  "Every  heart  has  idols 
of  its  own."  Besides  the  many  idols  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, some  of  which  were  notorious,  the  images  of  pow- 
erful sovereigns  were  set  up  for  adoration ;  and  the  chief 
objects  of  popular  worship  among  the  more  enlightened 
heathen  nations  were  deified  human  beings.  All  these 
were  but  so  many  images  of  the  beasts. 

As  to  the  "mark"  of  the  beast,  history  informs  us 
that  it  was  the  custom  with  many  of  the  heathen  to 
jnit  a  mark  of  the  idol  they  worshiped  on  some  visible 
part  of  their  bodies.  A  mark  in  the  right  hand  was  a 
token  of  earnest  devotion,  and  in  the  forehead,  of  public 
profession  of  the  worship.  It  is  also  stated  that  when 
Titus  enrolled  the  Roman  nation,  he  caused  them  to 
T^eeeive  a  mark  of  citizenship,  which  was  a  token  of 
fidelity  to  the  government.  T\niile  these  things  belonged 
to  that  age,  and  are  now  a  thing  of  the  past,  yet  the 
mark  of  the  beast  still  survives,  and  that  not  only  with 
the  heathen,  but  also  wdth  the  Christian  nations.  His 
mark  in  the  hand,  which  may  be  concealed  from  others, 
answers  well  to  our  secret  sins ;  and  his  mark  upon  the 
forehead,  to  our  open  sins.  All  sin  is  a  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  nothing  will  remove  it  but  the  blood  of  Jesus. 
Those  saints  that  John  refers  to  had  no  mark,  neither 
will  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  at  any  time  have.  They 
cannot  have  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  still  have  a  hope 
in  Christ.  They  dare  not  be  leavened  with  any  of  his 
service. 

"And  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand 


148  TJie  Millenniicm. 

years;"  and  again  he  says,  'T,3ut  they  shall  be  priests  of 
God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand 
years."  The  living  and  reigning  very  evidently  refer  to 
the  church  upon  earth;  and  have  their  fulfillment  in  the 
spiritual  life.  The  penitent  sinner  that  comes  to  Christ 
begins  to  live  that  life  as  soon  a?  he  accepts  Christ  a? 
his  righteousness,  and  is  clothed  upon  by  the  virtue  of 
his  atonement.  Those  saints  had  not  ceased  to  live 
that  life  though  they  had  died  a  natural  death.  Jesus 
said  to  Martha,  "Thy  brother  shall  rise  again."  Martha 
said,  'T  know  that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the  resurrection 
at  the  last  day."  Jesus  replied,  "I  am  the  resurrection 
and  the  life;  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  wQre 
dead,  yet  s/talZ  lie  live;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believ- 
eth in  me  shall  never  die."  Here  Martha  has  reference 
to  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  speaks  of  but  one 
resurrection,  for  she  knew  of  no  other  but  the  resurrec- 
tion at  the  last  day,  though  she  was  a  disciple  of  her 
Lord.  His  reply  refers  to  the  literal  and  to  the  spiritual 
resurrection,  and  asserts  that  he  is  the  author  of  both, 
and  the  source  of  all  life.  What  he  says  about  living  has 
reference  to  the  spiritual  life  begotten  in  the  souls  of 
his  children,  and  evidently  is  the  same  as  the  living  and 
reigning  expressed  by  John. 

Christ  said,  "Behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within 
you."  "I  will  come  in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him. 
and  he  with  me."  The  apostle  says,  "If  we  suffer  we 
shall  also  reign  with  liim."  "And  he  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father."  All  this 
further  demonstrates  the  life  and  estate  of  the  .s.aint8, 


Living  and  Reigning    With   Christ.  149 

and  as  that  life  is  all  spiritual,  so  also  must  the  reign- 
ing be.  They  may  be  called  priests  because  they  minis- 
ter in  the  holy  service  of  God^  and  offer  up  to  him  ac- 
ceptable sacrifices,  as  Paul  plainly  teaches,  "Present 
your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God, 
which  is  your  reasonable  service."  Every  upright,  faith- 
ful soul  that  confesses  Christ,  and  testifies  by  his  life 
that  he  is  begotten  of  the  Father  through  the  efficacy 
of  the  atonement,  and  thereby  witnesses  to  the  truth  of 
his  word,  helps  to  maintain  his  kingdom,  and  thus  lives 
and  reigns  with  Christ  in  the  spirit. 

"^But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thousand  years  were  finished."  Eeference  had  just 
been  made  to  those  who  died  in  Jesus,  and  who  are  of 
bis  kingdom,  and  who  were  "'living  and  reigning;"  and 
now  the  rest  of  the  dead  are  referred  to,  and  it  im- 
presses us  that  these  were  not  of  his  kingdom,  as  they 
were  not  to  live  and  reign  as  did  the  others.  As  there 
are  but  two  kingdoms,  that  of  Christ  and  that  of  Anti- 
christ, and  but  two  classes  of  subjects,  each  kingdom 
having  its  own,  these  must  belong  to  the  kingdom  of 
Antichrist.  The  other  lived  and  reigned,  these  did 
neither.  According  to  the  language  of  the  gospel,  the 
saint  never  dies,  though  his  body  returns  to  dust,  and 
the  sinner  never  lives,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  the 
world  to  come.  So  we  may  say  that  the  rest  of  the  dead 
never  lived  in  the  sense  in  which  living  is  affirmed  of 
the  souls  of  the  saints.  It  would  seem  that  as  the  saints 
are  to  be  understood  as  living,  ?o  the  others  must  be 
understood  as  being  dead.     Living  was  used  in  refer- 


iSO  The  Millennium. 

ence  to  the  one,  and  the  negative  form  was   used  in 
reference  to  the  other. 

But  the  expression,  "lived  not  again  until  the  thou- 
sand years  were  finished,"  does  not  necessarily  prove 
that  they  will  live  after  that  time.  In  Bible  language 
adverbs  denoting  a  termination  of  time  are  often  used 
to  signify  j)erpetuity;  as  in  Isaiah  22:14,  "Surely  this 
iniquity  shall  not  be  purged  from  you  till  ye  die."  Shall 
not  be  purged  at  all.  "Samuel  came  not  until  the  day 
of  his  death,"  (1  Sam.  15:35.)  Michal  had  no  child 
until  the  day  of  her  death."  (2  Sam.  6  :23.)  "For  until 
the  law,  sin  was  in  the  world,"  (Eomans  5  :13)  ;  and 
will  be  to  the  end  of  all  time.  From  this  it  would  be 
evident  that  it  was  designed  to  contrast  their  not  living 
with  the  others  living ;  that  is,  while  the  saints  are  "liv- 
ing and  reigning  with  Christ"  in  the  spirit,  those  out 
of  Christ  do  not  live  at  all  in  the  spirit — are  spiritually 
dead.  This  is  evident  also  from  the  language  of  the 
apostle  in  reference  to  those  out  of  Christ:  "Awake 
thou  that  sleej)est,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ 
shall  give  thee  light."  Here  all  out  of  Christ  are  con- 
sidered as  dead,  and  the  awakening  and  arising  have 
altogether  a  spiritual  import. 

"This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and 
holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection:  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no 
power."  As  in  all  New  Testament  teaching  there  is 
but  one  resurrection  of  the  body  referred  to,  and  that 
at  the  time  of  the  judgment,  and  as  what  John  writes 
about  the  first  resurrection  does  not  apply  to  that  resur- 


Tlie  First  Resurrection   is  Spiritual.  151 

rection,  so  it  evidently  must  be  that  this  first  resurrec- 
tion is  a  spiritual  one.  As  it  does  not  apply  to  the  rest 
of  the  dead,  hut  to  the  souls  of  the  saints,  and  as  we 
have  before  shown  that  they  were  not  embodied,  so  it 
must  revert  back  to  some  previous  condition  or  exper- 
ience of  those  souls.  As  the  earth  is  to  be  the  place  of 
the  fulfillment  of  the  major  part  of  the  prophecies  bf 
this  book,  and  of  this  part  in  particular,  so  we  are  im- 
pressed that  iA'e  are  to  look  for  this  first  or  spiritual  res- 
urrection in  the  life  of  the  saints  while  upon  earth.  We 
find  it  abundantly  defined  and  supported  throughout 
New  Testament  teaching.  Jesus  said  to  Martha,  "He 
that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dmH,  yet  shall  he 
V1V&;  and  to  the  Jews,  "He  that  heareth  my  word,  and 
believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life, 
and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed 
from  death  unto  life.  The  hour  is  coming;  and  now 
is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  Paul  said,  "Awake 
thou  that  sleej)est,  and  arise  from  tlie  dead,  and  Christ 
shall  give  thee  light."  This  is  the  first  resurrection, 
that  is,  the  resurrection  from  spiritual  death  to  spirit- 
ual life.  It  is  the  time  of  our  conversion,  when  we  die 
unto  sin,  are  buried  in  the  death  of  Christ,  and  raised 
again  to  walk  in  newness  of  life — raised  up  from  dead 
works  to  serve  the  living  God.  Tliis  is  when  we  receive 
Christ  by  faith,  and  is  the  time  of  our  marriage  with 
the  Lamb.  Christ  says,  "He  that  heaieth  my  word, 
shall  not  come  into  condemnation;  but  is  passed  from 
death  unto  life."     It  is  properly  called  the  first  resur- 


152  The  Millennium^ 

rection,  as  it  must  precede  the  resurrection  of  the  body^ 
There  is  nothing  beside  this  spiritual  awakening  through 
faith  in  the  atonement,  and  obedience  to  gospel  teaching, 
that  is  referred  to  in  the  scriptures  to  which  the  term, 
"the  first  resurrection,"  can  properly  be  applied. 

The  saints  whose  souls  were  seen  did  realize  while  up- 
on earth  a  resurrection  in  the  spirit,  a  resurrection  from 
a  spirtual  death,  having  been  "dead  in  trespasses  and 
sin,"  and  upon  this  rested  all  their  hopes  of  futurity. 
It  was  by  the  power  of  that  resurrection  that  they  were 
enabled  to  maintain  their  faith  and  endure  their  afflic- 
tions ;  and  by  it  they  attained  ■  their  great  reward,  the 
estate  of  the  'T)lessed  and  holy."  These  things  being  so, 
should  it  not  impress  us  very  seriously  that  whatever 
beside,  if  anything,  might  be  involved  in  this  expression 
of  the  "first  resurrection,"  the  important  matter  with 
us,  and  with  all  future  generations,  is  to  have  the  assur- 
ance of  the  Word  of  God  that  we  attain  to  that  spiritual 
resurrection  in  this  life,  that  we  may  be  entitled  to  the 
blessings  promised  in  the  life  beyond.  Otherwise  we 
will  fail  and  be  of  that  number  that  "lived  not  again," 
and  will  fall  under  the  jiower  of  the  "second  death." 

In  the  writings  of  Menno  Simon  there  is  an  arti- 
cle on  "The  Sj)iritual  Resurrection,"  from  which  we  will 
make  a  few  extracts.  "The  Scriptures  point  out  to  us 
two  resurrections;  namely,  a  bodily  resurrection  from 
the  dead  at  the  last  day,  and  a  spiritual  resurrection 
from  sm  and  death,  to  a  new  life  and  a  change  of  heail. 
That  a  man  should  die  spiritually  unto  sin,  be  spiritually 
buried  and  rise  again  to  a  life  of  righteousness  in  God, 


Extracts  From  Menn-o  Simon's    Writings,        153 

is  plainl}"  taught  in  various  parts  of  the  scriptures. 
Before  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  can  take  place,  the 
death  of  the  body  is  necessary.  Likewise,  in  a  spiritual 
sense,  there  can  be  no  resurrection  from  sin  and  death 
unless  this  body  of  sin  has  sensibly  endured  sorrowful- 
ness of  heart,  remorse  and  a  sincere  repentance  on  ac- 
count of  sm,  and  been  destroyed  and  buried.  Thus  Ave 
have  to  die  with  Christ  unto  sin,  if  we  would  be  made 
alive  with  him;  for  none  can  rejoice  with  Christ  unless 
he  first  suffer  with  him;  for  this  is  a  sure  word.  Paul 
says,  'If  we  be  dead  with  him,  we  shall  also  live  with 
liira ;  if  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him.'  (2  Tim. 
2:11.) 

"This  resurrection  includes  the  new  creature,  the 
spiritual  birth  and  sanctifi  cation,  without  which  none 
shall  see  the  Lord.  This  Paul  testifies  in  a  few  words, 
saying,  Tn  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth 
anything,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature.' 
Again,  "Tf  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature; 
old  things  are  passed  away;  behold,  all  things  are  he- 
come  new.'  This  is  the  first  resurrection;  'For,  if  we 
have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,'" 
(that  is,  through  mortifying  the  sinful  nature  of  earth- 
ly Adam,  with  all  his  members  or  wicked  lusts)  'we 
shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection;'  and 
know  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  wnth  him,  that  the 
sinful  body  is  destroyed. 

"The  truly  regenerated  are  they  who  died  with 
Christ  unto  sin,  and  have  truly  risen;  they  are  the  new 
born  to  whom  the  power  is  given  to  become  the  sons  of 


l54.  The  Milleyinium. 

God ;  were  redeemed  out  of  all  nations,  and  have  on  the 
wedding  garments  against  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb. 
These  are  the  spiritual  bride  of  Christ,  his  holy  church, 
his  spiritual  body,  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his 
bones.  They  have  come  to  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the 
city  of  the  living  God,  which  came  down  from  heaven." 
It  has  been  stated  that  some  maintain  that  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  will  take  place  when  the  saints  are 
resurrected  at  the  beginning  of  the  Millennium.  We 
would  invite  attention  to  the  following  considerations: 
There  is  only  one  ground  of  righteousness  for  fallen  man, 
and  that  is  "Christ  and  him  crucified."  But  before 
the  spiritual  union  between  Christ  and  the  soul  can 
take  place,  there  must  be  a  new  creation,  as  Christ  said, 
"Ye  must  be  born  again."  When  anyone  sincerely  re- 
pents of  sin,  forsakes  it,  and  embraces  Christ  by  faith 
as  dying  upon  the  cross  for  sinners,  he  attains  the 
.righteousness  of  faith.  He  is  cleansed  from  all  his 
sins,  his  heart  is  purified  by  faith,  his  soul  is  sanctified 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  he  is  clothed  upon  with  the 
merits  of  Christ.  "But  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are 
sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God,"(l  Cor.  6 :11.) 
Even  the  prophet  Isaiah  foretold  the  blessings  in  store 
for  such  souls,  who  constitute  the  church  or  bride  of 
Christ.  "I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my  soul 
shall  be  joyful  in  my  God;  for  he  hath  clothed  me  with 
the  garments  of  his  salvation;  he  hath  covered  me 
with  the  robe  of  righteousness."  We  are  fully  persuad- 
ed by  many  scripture  testimonies  that  when  souls  are 


The   Marriage  of   The  Lamb.  155 

thus  sanctified  and  justified,  and  clothed  upon  with  the 
gannents  of  salvation,  tliey  become  of  that  number 
who  have  "made  themselves  ready  for  the  marriage  of 
Ihe  Lamb,"  and  that  all  this  preparation  must  take 
pJace  in  this  life  under  the  power  and  light  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

At  the  great  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  Fen- 
tejost.  when  Peter  spake  with  great  power,  and  multi- 
tudes were  moved  to  conviction  and  repentance,  and 
freel}-  accepted  Christ  and  suffered  themselves  to  be 
brought  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  they  became 
the  first  fruits  of  redemption,  the  first  spiritual  children 
of  the  Father,  constituting  the  kingdom  of  heaven  upon 
earth,  and  the  church  or  bride  of  Christ.  Through  this 
mystical  union  of  their  souls  with  Christ  they  became 
"flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bones :''  and  as  Paul 
says  in  reference  to  tlie  relation  of  the  church  to  Christ, 
they  becanie  "the  body  of  Christ  and  members  in  partic- 
ular." 

As  the  marriage  covenant  is  the  most  intimate  and 
most  responsible  relation  in  the  social  life,  the  apostle 
uses  it  as  a  figure  of  the  union  of  the  church  with 
Christ.  In  Eom.  7  :4,  he  sayg,  "Ye  also  are  become  dead 
to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ,  that  ye  should  be  mar- 
ried to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the 
dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God."  This 
marriage  with  Christ  embodies  the  same  idea  of  life 
and  fruits  that  is  implied  in  the  vine  and  its  branches. 
Christ  said,  "I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches.  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except.it  abide  in  the 


166  The  Millennium. 

vine,  no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  in  me.  He  that 
abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit."   (Jno.  15:4,5.) 

In  Eph.  5 :22-33,  Paul  writes  upon  the  marnage 
relation  of  believers,  and  in  the  32d  verse  he  says,  "This 
is  a  .?reat  mystery;  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and 
the  Church."  This  "great  mA^stery"  is  the  mystical 
union  of  the  church  with  Christ,  which  the  apostle  sym- 
bolizes  by  the  co\enant  of  marriage  as  instituted  in 
Eden,  and  restored  to  its  primitive  purity  through  the 
regeneration.  This  is  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  that 
has  been  taking  place  since  Pentecost,  and  will  continue 
as  long  as  there  are  spiritually  enlightened,  regenerated 
souls  coming  to  Christ.  What  more  than  this,  if  any- 
thing, may  be  involved  in  the  m.arriage  of  the  Lamb 
wliich  the  apostle  refers  to  in  chap.  19  :7-9,  we  do  not 
laiow;  but  this  one  thing  is  important,  that  all  who 
seek  redemption  should  be  impressed  that  unless  they, 
in  this  life,  "are  married  to  him  who  is  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,"  they  will 
never  be  of  that  number  who  "are  called  unto  the  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Lamb"  referred  to  by  John. 

The  prophecies  that  define  the  character  of  the 
subjects  of  Christ's  kingdom  are  quoted  to  establish  the 
Millennial  period  of  the  church.  Even  men  of  eminence 
apply  them  so  literally  that  they  assume  to  assert  that 
the  wild  beasts  will  lose  their  fierceness  and  become 
tame.  Among  these  are  the  following  prophecies  of 
Isaiah :  "And  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations,  and 
shall   rebuke   many   people,   and   they   shall   beat   their 


How  Some  of    The  Prophecies  Are    Used.        157 

swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears  into  pruning- 
hooks;  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation, 
neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more."  (Isaiah  2:4.) 
"The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the 
leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid;  and  the  calf  and 
the  young  lion  and  the  fatling  together;  and  a  little 
child  shall  lead  them;  and  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall 
feed;  their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together;  and  the 
lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  And  the  sucking  child 
shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child 
shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice's  den.  They  shall 
not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain,  for  the 
earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea."   (Isa.  11:6-9). 

The  fulfillment  of  these,  as  well  as  many  other 
prophecies  that  foretell  the  restoration  and  conversion 
of  the  Jews,  and  the  apparent  universal  spread  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  the  consequent  peace  on  earth  and  good  will 
to  men.  is  to  be  sought  in  the  "loM  datjs,"  in  the  gospel 
dispensation.  They  evidently  began  to  be  fulfilled  upon 
the  day  of  Pentecost  when  three  thousand  people  were 
converted  and  became  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul,  and 
were  characterized  by  unity  in  faith,  doctrine  and  life, 
and  for  their  earnestness  for  their  salvation  and  that 
of  others.  The  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  the  great  suc- 
cess of  the  apostles  in  the  promulgation  of  truth,  and 
the  zeal  of  their  converts  fittingly  fulfilled. the  predic- 
tion of  the  prophet :  "And  many  people  shall  go  and  say, 
come  ye  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord.*' 
All  who  embraced  the  proSered  salvation  through  faith 


158  The  Millennium. 

in  Christ  were  led  b}-  one  spirit,  and  baptized  by  one 
spirit  into  one  body.  Having  the  spirit  of  Christ,  they 
did  not  resist  evil,  and  by  virtue  of  the  holiness  of  that 
spirit,  they  sej)arated  from  all  sin;  so  will  all  who  faith- 
fully accept  and  obey  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

It  is  admitted  by  all  serious  professors  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  that  if  sin  had  not  entered  the  world  and 
hardened  the  heart,  darkened  the  understanding,  para- 
lyzed the  SOU],  and  supplanted  the  love  of  God  by  the 
love  of  self,  there  would  be  no  war,  no  litigation,  and 
no  divisions.  It  is  also  recognized  that  Christ  destroy- 
ed the  work  of  the  devil,  and  gives  all  who  receive  him 
power  to  become  sons  of  God ;  and  if  sons  of  God,  then 
they  are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  which  is  love. 
All  those  who  received  this  power  during  the  aposiblic 
age  were  united  in  faith  and  doctrine.  They  were  de- 
fenseless, and  therefore  neither  contended  at  law,  nor 
took  any  part  in  the  government.  During  that  time 
many  were  endowed  with  miraculous  gifts,  which  were 
not  continued  beyond  the  apostolic  age;  but  the  divine 
spirit  wliich  actuated  them  was  the  same  in  nature,  and 
principle  as  that  possessed  by  believers  now.  The  di- 
vine L'fe,  which  is  love,  has  not  changed.  If  Christians 
in  the  apostolic  age  were  united  and  were  non-combat- 
ant, they  have  been  so  ever  since,  and  never  can  be 
otherwise. 

Commentators  assent  that.  "If  all  men  were  Chris- 
tians, there  could  be  no  war."  It  is  however  equally 
evident  that  as  long  as  all  men  are  not  Christians,  there 
will  be  war;  for  the  selfish  nature  of  man  will  give  oc« 


Tlie  Prophecies  Are  Figurative.  159 

casion  for  strife.  According  to  the  present  economy  of 
tliis  world,  the  wolf  and  the  lamb  will  not  dwell  togeth- 
er, and  tlie  leopard  and  the  kid  will  not  lie  down  togeth- 
er. This  is  figurative  language,  symbolizing  the  change 
wrought  in  man  by  regeneration,  and  the  harmony  con- 
sequent upon  it.  The  unregenerate  nations  will  not 
beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears 
into  pruning  hooks.  But  those  persons  who  heed  the 
calls  of  grace,  forsake  their  sinful  life,  receive  the  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  forsake  the  world,  will  **beat 
their  sv/ords  into  ploughshares,"  etc. ;  that  is,  those  tal- 
ents or  endowments  of  God  which  through  sin  had  been 
instruments  of  violence  and  unrighteousness,  are 
through  grace  made  '^^instruments  of  righteousness  unto 
God."  These  are  figuratively  "the  eartli  that  shall  be 
full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea ;"  that  is,  those  earthly  heart?  will  be  thus 
changed.  That  the  present  state  of  popular  Christian- 
ity does  not  reflect  the  true  import  of  those  prophecies 
that  tell  of  the  peaceable  kingdom  of  Christ  is  no  proof 
that  they  did  not  have  their  fulfillment  at  Pentecost;-, 
neither  does  it  disprove  the  fact  that  they  are  continu- 
ally being  fulfilled  in  God's  true  and  faithful  worshij>ers  • 
wherever  they  are  found. 

As  further  evidence  that  those  prophecies  should 
not  be  explained  literally  and  a[iplied  naturally,  we 
nuote  the  language  of  the  apostle  James,  Acts  15  :1G,  17, 
as  quoted  from  the  prophet  Amos :  "After  this  I  will 
return,  and  will  build  again  the  tabernacle  of  David 
wliich  is  fallen  do-\vn;  and  I  vdll  build  again  the  ruins 


IfiO  The   Afillennium. 

thereof;  and  I  will  set  it  up,  that  the  I'esidue  of  men 
might  seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  the  Gentiles  upon 
whom  my  name  is  called,  saith  the  Lord,  who  knoweth 
all  these  things."  But  the  prophecy  continues,  fore- 
telling the  marvelous  prosperity  of  the  Jews  in  lan- 
guage like  this :  "The  ploughman  shall  overtake  the 
reaper ;  and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth  seed ; 
and  the  mountains  shall  drop  sweet  wine,  and  the 
hills  shall  melt;"  and  then  tells  of  their  restoration  to 
their  land  and  their  perpetiial  possession  of  it'.  '  After 
Paul  and  Barnabas  had  made  knoAvn  the  glad  tidings 
of  the  free  acceptance  of  the  gospel  by  large  numbers 
of  the  Gentiles,  and  their  hopeful  conversion,  James 
quoted  the  prophecy  above  given  as  heing  then  fulfilled, 
not  literally  but  spiritually,  in  the  conversion  of  the 
multitudes  of  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews.  But  despite 
this  fact  it  is  generally  held  as  unfulfilled  in  the  main 
part,  and  used  as  a  basis  for  the  doctrine  of  the  restor- 
ation of  the  Jews  to  their  land. 

The  tabernacle  was  built  magnificently  according 
to  the  instructions  given  IMoses,  that  it  might  in  some 
measure  be  suitable  to  the  dignity  of  the  Great  King 
for  whose  dwelling  it  was  designed  as  Euler  of  his  peo- 
ple ;  and  that  it  might  fittingly  typify  those  spiritual 
and  eternal  blessings  which  would  be  manifested  in  the 
fulness  of  tinip.  Later  it  was  superseded  by  the  temple 
of  Solomon,  which  was  built  after  the  pattern  shown 
\f)  his  father  David.  But  "the  tabernacle  of  David," 
which  the  prophet  Amos  said  that  God  was  to  raise, 
i,s  the  Church  of  Christ,  wliich  is  heir  of  the  promise 


77?-^    Church  is    The    Tabernacle  of  David.        161 

made  to  David.  Through  the  death  and  resurrection 
of  Christ,  the  seed  of  David,  the  whole  temple  service, 
which  was  but  typical  of  the  atonement,  was  abrogated, 
and  soon  the  temple  itself  was  utterly  destroyed.  This 
was  by  divine  appointment,  for  Christ  the  great  Anti- 
type had  reared  the  true  tabernacle  of  God  in  the 
hearts  of  the  converted  multitudes,  both  of  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  who  as  living  stones  became  the  spiritual' 
tabernacle  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  to  God.  Hence 
we  insist  that  the  prophecy  of  Amos  is  to  be  understood 
spiritually,  and  as  having  its  fulfillraent  in  the  great 
work  of  the  atonement,  and  in  the  promulgation  and 
acceptance  of  the  gospel. 

Altliough  Israel  were  God's  chosen  people  among 
the  nations,  and  enjoyed  the  especial  blessings,  3'et  the 
many  and  extensive  prophecies  concerning  their  restor- 
ation and  the  rebuilcr^.ig  of  their  great  city  and  temple 
were  evidently  never  designed  to  be  understood  literally ; 
neither  will  God  any  longer  recognize  him  as  a  true 
Israelite  who  is  one  only  by  birth.  Paul  says,  "Tie  is 
not  a  Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly;  neither  is  that 
circumcision,  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh."  His  king- 
dom being  spiritual,  the  great  promises  in  those  proph- 
ecies have  been  spiritually  fulfilled ;  and  God  has  gath- 
ered into  his  tabernacle  every  Jew  from  every  nation 
upon  earth,  who  has  become  willing  to  accept  Christ, 
and  will  continue  >o  to  gather  until  the  end  of  time. 

The  prophet  Ezeki^l  tells  by  what  means  this  gath- 
ering and  returning  is  to  be  effected :  'T  will  give  them 
one  heart,  and  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within  you,  and 


162  The  Millennium. 

I  will  take  the  ston}-  heart  out  of  their  flesh.''  Again 
in  the  thirty-fifth  chapter  of  Isaiah  we  have  a  beautiful 
representation  of  the  means  provided  for  the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord, — "the  way  of  holiness/' — a  common  wa}' 
upon  which  all  God's  chosen  people  from  every  tribe  ,\nr\ 
every  nation  must  return  from  the  dominion  of  Sataa 
to  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

The  true  Israel  of  God  is  known  by  no  nationality, 
neither  does  God  under  the  New  Covenant  extend  nmrp 
favor  to  the  Jew  than  to  the  Gentile,  for  Peter  said  to 
Cornelius,  "God  is  no  respector  of  persons ;  but  in  every 
nation  he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness 
is  accepted  with  him."  And  Paul  says,  "He  is  our 
peace,  who  hath  made  both  [Jew  and  Gentile]  one, 
and  hath  broken  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition  be- 
tween us,  to  make  in  himself  one  new  man,  [regenerated 
people]  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God,  in  one 
body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby;  for 
through  him  we  both  have  access  by  one  spirit  unto  the 
Father,"     (Eph.  2:14-18.) 

If  the  Lord  proved  to  Peter  that  he  is  no  respector 
of  persons,  \xo\x  can  we  say  that  he  is  a  respector  of 
nations?  His  ways  are  equal,  for  he' is  just,  then  how 
can  he  consistentlv  show  partiality  for  the  Jews? 
Though  it  is  true  that  in  the  great  work  of  preparation, 
during  the  public  ministry  of  Christ,  he  especially  fa- 
vored them,  for  he  said  to  the  Syrophenician  woman. 
"I  am  not  sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  Israel ;"'  and 
unto  the  twelve  when  he  sent  them,  "Go  not  into  the 
way  of  the  Gentiles,  and  into  any  city  of  the  Saraari- 


A^  Preference  For    The  Jew,  163 

tans  enter  ye  not ;  but  go  rather  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the 
house  of  Israel;'"  yet  we  find  in  the  apostolic  commis- 
sion that  he  commands  them,  "Go  ye  therefore  and 
teach  all  nations."  Salvation  was  first  offered  to  Israel, 
for  to  them  were  committed  the  oracles  of  God,  and 
they  were  the  only  proper  -wdtnesses  of  the  fulfiJlment 
of  God's  broken  law;  but  after  the  great  vicarious  offer- 
ing, the  Pagan  and  the  Jew  stood  upon  a  common  plane 
in  the  work  of  salvation,  and  we  assuredly  believe  that 
they  will  continue  so  to  the  end  of  time.  Hence  we 
cannot  accept  a  literal  application  of  those  prophecies 
that  assure  the  restoration  of  Israel,  neither  that  the 
"tabernacle  of  David"  is  to  be  a  material  one,  neither 
a  natural  land  that  the  Jews  are  to  inherit,  but  a  spirit- 
ual iniieritance  for  those  who  will  return  to  Christ,  a 
peace  that  is  above  all  understanding,  an  incorruptible 
crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away,  the  land  of  eter- 
nal rest. 

We  are  fully  persuaded  that  the  personal  reign  of 
Christ  upon  earth  is  altogether  improbable,  and  no- 
where supported  by  the  gospel.  Christ  told  his  disciples, 
"If  I  go  not  hence  the  comforter  will  not  come;  but  if 
I  depart,  1  will  send  him  unto  you."  That  Comforter, 
the  Holy  Spirit,  was  sent  in  great  power  on  Pentecost; 
and  he  is  still  with  the  children  of  men,  filling  the 
place  of  the  personal  presence  of  Christ.  This  is  by 
divine  appointment,  and  the  power  and  light  of  the 
Spirit  have  been  sufficient  to  lead  every  sincere  seeker  to 
Christ,  and  keep  him  there,  without  the  personal  pres- 
ence of  Christ ;  and  we  find  nothing  in  New  Testament 


164  The   Millainhnn. 

teaching  to  show  that  he  will  not  so  continue  until 
Christ  comes  to  judgment.  Peter  speaking  of  the  resur- 
rection and  ascension  of  Christ  said,  "Whom  the  heav- 
ens must  receive  until  the  time  of  the  restitution  of  all 
things" — until  the  great  work  of  redemption  is  fully 
completed.  Paul  says,  "He  sat  down  on  the  right  hand 
of  the  Majesty  on  high/'  and  "He  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  us.''  He  is  our  Advocate  ^dth  the 
Father,  and  all  scripture  testimony  affirms  that  he  will 
continue- in  that  office  until  the  time  of  his  coming  to 
judge  the  world,  when  there  will  be  a  full  restitution 
of  all  things;  for  "Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall 
have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God." 

As  to  a  spiritual  Millennial  reign,  distinct  from 
the  rest  of  the  gospel  era,  we  are  not  encouraged  to  ac- 
cept in  the  sense  it  is  popularly  defined;  but  we  main- 
tain that  Christ  has  so  reigned  by  his  Spirit  in  the 
hearts  of  Ms  children  since  Pentecost,  and  Avill  continue 
to  do  so  until  the  great  work  of  redemption  shall  be 
completed;  and  that  as  far  as  the  Spirit  of  Christ  ex- 
tends, so  far  will  the  spirit  of  peace  prevail ;  and  whether 
it  be  an  individual  soul  who  has  the  "kingdom  of  Christ 
within  him,"  thus  making  liim  the  "temple  of  God," 
or  whether  it  be  a  community  of  such  souls,  they  con- 
stitute the  peaceable  reign  or  kingdom  of  Christ  upon 
earth.  To  become  a  part  of  this  kingdom,  that  he 
may  "live  and  reign  with  Christ,"  is  the  striving  of  every 
awakened  soul,  and  the  ground  of  his  hopes  for  a 
peaceful  eternity. 

We  have  before  referred  to  those  who  maintain,  and 


There  is    Bui  One    Time  of  Probation.         165 

with  a  great  deal  of  assurance,  that  there  \v\\\  be  at 
Christ^s  second  advent  a  general  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  another  offer  of  free  salvation  to  ail  who  had 
died  without  a  hope  in  Christ.  They  claim  that  those 
who  accept  Christ  will  be  judged  by  being  put  on  proba- 
tion, in  which  if  they  prove  faithful,  they  will  be  bless- 
ed, but  if  unfaithful,  they  will  be  destroyed.  They 
maintain  that  a  judgment  implies  a  trial  and  a  sen- 
tence. While  it  does  imply  these,  it  is  not  true  that 
it  implies  a  probation.  Paul  taught  that  "It  is  ap- 
pointed unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judg- 
ment;" but  intimates  nothing  of  a  second  probation. 
When  Christ  spake  of  his  second  coming  he  connected 
it  with  the  judgment,  as  in  Matt.  25  :31-46.  He  tells 
of  his  coming  in  glory  and  sitting  ui)on  the  throne 
of  his  glory,  of  his  gathering  all  the  nations  before 
him  and  of  his  separating  them,  and  then,  after  pro- 
nouncing his  blessing  u])on  those  on  his  right  hand, 
that  he  will  say  to  those  on  his  left,  "Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels."  This  is  judgment  indeed  and  sen- 
tence pronounced,  but  no  probation  involved.  Again 
when  Christ  spake  of  the  resurrection,  he  also  connect- 
ed it  with  the  judgm.ent,  but  we  fail  to  find  in  it  any 
intimation  of  a  period  of  probation.  He  said,  '"The 
hour  is  coming  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth;  they  that 
have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life;  and 
they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  dam- 
naiion."     We  will  find  too  that  this  doctrine  of  a  second 


166  The  Millennium. 

probation  will  not  coincide  with  the  design  and  plain 
import  of  the  histor}'  or  parable  of  the  rich  man  and 
Lazarus,  as  «;iven  in  the  words  of  our  Savior  in  Luke 
](;:19-31. 

The  whole  force  and  tenor  of  gospel  teaching  en- 
forces the  fact  that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man  shall 
in  this  life  seek  salvation.  It  is  written,  "Behold  this 
is  the  accepted  time,  behold  this  is  the  day  of  salvation ;" 
and  we  have  the  fullest  assurance  that  probation  will 
end  witli  this  present  life.  We  are  also  taught  that 
there  is  a  fiill  record  of  this  life,  and  that  the  sentence 
will  be  fixed,  or  the  blessing  awarded,  according  to  that 
record.  John  writes,  "The  dead  were  judged  out  of  the 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to 
their  works.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in 
tiie  book  of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire."  (Eev. 
20:12-15).  This  we  believe  to  be  the  plain  import  of 
the  teaching  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  touching  this 
life,  the  resurrection  and  the  judgment,  and  that  it  was 
so  interpreted  by  the  faithful  in  every  age,  and  assured- 
ly by.  those  who  endured  the  "great  trial  of  aflfliction." 
Those  who  teach  otherwise  assume  a  great  responsibility, 
as  it  is  a  siibject  fraught  with  serious  consequences.  As 
things  now  are  the  cross  of  Clirist  and  the  self-denying 
principles  of  his  gospel  are  quite  enough  neglected  and 
dcspjsed,  even  by  many  who  confess  his  name;  but  if 
jiien  become  persuaded  in  their  minds  that  there  will 
be  another  opportunity  of  securing  salvation  under 
more  favorable  conditions,  they  will  become  still  more 
mdiil'erent.   and   but  few  indeed   will  honor   Christ   in 


All  God's    Worshipers    Under  One  Economy.     16 7 

this   life,   and   none   we   fear  who  will    be   disposed    to 
endure  tribulation  to  win  the  martyr's  crown. 

Some  at  least  of  the  advocates  of  the  Millennium 
consent  that  the  life  that  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord 
shall  live  during  the  Millennium  will  be  the  same  that 
Christians  have  lived  since  Pentecost,  and  will  continue 
to  live  until  the  end  of  time.  This  cannot  be  otherwise, 
as  there  is  bnt  one  divine  agency  with  the  children  of 
nif>n.  tl;at  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  its  influence  must  ever 
be  the  same  in  everv  age,  and  with  every  nation,  and 
that  tliroughout  the  entire  gosjjel  era.  But  furthermore 
we  believe  rhat  rhe  spiritual  worshipers  in  all  the  worlds 
are  under  one  economy,  and  that  the  life  of  the  Chris- 
tian while  upon  earth  is  the  same  in  spirit  as  the  life 
thai  tiie  angels  have  in  heaven.  If  that  life  does  not 
now  bring  peace  to  the  soul  and  peace  with,  all  men — 
does  not  bring  a  full  fruition  of  gospel  benefits  to  the 
'regenerated — what  encouragement  have  we  from  the 
word  of  (rod  to  believe  that  at  any  future  time  in  the 
gospel  era  it  shall  do  more  ?  We  can  say  with  the  full- 
est a-suranee  that  during  the  dark  ages,  and  amidst  the 
fiery  trials  of  persecution,  and  the  severest  tests  of  faith 
and  endurance,  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  prevailed, 
and  iliar  ir  prevailed  as  a  kingdom  of  peace  in  the 
peaceable  and  defenseless  lives  of  his  people,  and  why 
should  it  not  now?  These  things  being  so.  would  it 
not  be  more  common dal)le.  and  tend  more  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  gospel  interests,  and  be  more  consistent, 
if  instead  of  theorizing  u]ion  Millennial  prospects,  all 
Christendom  would  employ  its  energies  in  an  endeavor  to 


1fi8  The  Millennium.. 

establish  that  peaceable  Idngdom  now  among  those  who 
confess  Christ,  and  not  consent  to  the  great  delusion 
that  such  conditions  are  not  applicable  now,  but  will 
have  their  fulfillment  in  a  Millennium,  the  success  of 
which  is  to  depend  upon  an  absolute  binding  of  Satan 
and  tiie  ^>ersonal  presence  of  Chrisi.'' 

Jiave  not  our  Millennial  friends  reason  to  fear  that 
it  may  be  Avitli  them  as  it  has  been  with  the  Jews,  who 
were  anxiously  looking  and  waiting  for  Christ's  coming; 
and  yet  as  a  nation  they  rejected  him  because  his  king- 
dom did  not  suit  them?  They  fell  into  the  fatal  error 
of  interpreting  the  prophecies  literally,  and  of  expecting 
temporal  advantages,  and  failed  to  discover  the  spiritual 
and  eternal  good  offered  them.  They  are  still  to  this 
day  waiting  his  coming  to  establish  a  kingdom  in  ac- 
cord witli  their  views,  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  his 
ivingdora  tias  been  established  and  continues  to  exist 
m  the  hearts  of  all  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord.  Thus* 
the}-  failed  of  the  promise,  and  utterly  failed  of  real- 
izing even  the  least  of  their  many  Messianic  hopes  of 
national  exaltation,  but  instead  utterly  perished  as  a 
nation,  lost  their  inheritance,  and  were  scattered  among 
their  enenues. 

We  see  the  same  delusion  repeating  itself  today. 
Popular  Christianity  turns  away  from  the  cross-bearing, 
self-denying,  defenseless  and  non-worldly  doctrine  of 
Christ,  the  same  as  did  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  the 
Messiah.  They  interpret  many  of  the  prophecies  liter- 
ally, and  make  a  natural  application  of  them  to  estab- 
lish their  views  concerning  tbe  restoration  aoid  conver- 


Probability  of  Being  Deceived.  109 

sioii  of  the  Jews,  the  uuiversal  triumph  of  Christianity, 
and  the  establishment  of  universal  peace.  Seeking  a 
kingdom  that  has  honor  in  the  world,  and  being  stran- 
gers to  the  peace  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  they  fail  to  rec- 
ognize the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  the  fulfillment  of  the 
many  prophecies  relating  to  it.  They  look  away  from 
the  spiritual  reign  of  Christ  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people,  failing  to  see  in  it  a  fulfillment  of  what  is 
looked  for  in  the  Millennial  reign.  Unwilling  in 
themselves  to  yield  to  that  potei;t  influence  by  which 
it  is  wrought,  they  have  reason  to  fear  that  they  will 
fail,  not  only  to  witness  a  consummation  of  their  Mil- 
lennial prospects,  but  to  realize  an  interest  in  the  res- 
urrection of  the  just. 


INDb:X. 


WATER  BAPTISM   3 

INFANT  BAPTISM    6 

Circumcision  and  baptism 16 

Jewish  proselyte  baptism 19 

Baptism  not  applicable  to  infants 27 

MODE    OF    BAPTISM    28 

The  Levites  a  figure  of  John's  baptism 37 

The  labors  of  John  and  the  disciples  all  preliminary  41 

Baptists  disagree  as  to  mode 45 

New  Testament  accounts  of  baptisms 47 

Baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  pouring 53 

Bxpcsition  of  Romans  vi 59 

True  import  of  baptism 64 

The  thief  upon  the  cross 67 

THE    LORD'S   SUPPER 73 

Those   v/ho    partake    unworthily 77 

Its   commemorative  import 79 

Its  proper  use  and  design 81 

Duties  devolving  on  pastors 83 

FEET   WASHING    85 

How  it  refers  to  the  mediation 89 

Christ  taug'ht  a  principle  by  example 93 

SALUTATION   OF  THE   KISS    97 

MARRIAGE   100 

Chrisfs   teaching    upon    marriage iu;i 

Why  indissoluble  under  the  Gospel Ill 

A  believer  can  marry  only  in  the  Lord 113 

The  spiritual  relation  not  affected  by  marriage....  117 

THE  MILLENNIUM   121 

The  binding  of  Satan 129 

The  binding  reflects  back  to  the  atonement 135 

The   unbinding  of   Satan 139 

The  image  and  mark  of  the  beast 147 

The  first  resurrection  is  a  spiritual  one 151 

No  literal  restoration  of  the  Jews 161 

There  is  but  one  time  of  probation 165 


Date  Due 

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